A conflict broke out yesterday between South Korean coastal police and 30 Chinese fishing boats that were said to have crossed a territorial line. Crew members from two boats were detained, and one Chinese fisherman was shot dead by a rubber bullet shot by South Korean coastal police.

The news has generated strong condemnation from China. South Korean police claimed that the rubber bullets were shot where there were no people, but this is hardly convincing. We urge the Chinese government to get involved in the investigation. Only the truth will satisfy public opinion.

China and South Korea share some overlapping areas in their respective exclusive economic zones. The fishing agreement the two countries signed in 2001 adopted a median line principle in the related water area. Some traditional fisheries of China have thus been included into the transitory waters of South Korea. Chinese fishermen are not used to this. Plus, overfishing in Chinese waters also forces fishermen to cross borders. But fishing conflicts have a long history, which is not solely caused by Chinese fishermen breaking the rules.

The new demarcation has to take into consideration the survival of Chinese fishermen. That's why a transitory water area was established. The water area between the two countries is less than 400 nautical miles in breadth, so Chinese fishing boats may easily cross the border.

When a South Korean coastal policeman was stabbed to death by a Chinese crew last December, nationalistic emotion boiled over in Seoul. Local media outlets were full of strongly-worded calls for tough measures against China. This nationalistic emotional outburst was surely the background of the tragedy of yesterday.

Chinese media doesn't support or encourage Chinese fishermen to take risks in waters controlled by the South Korea. The dilemma, though, is that regardless of feeling sympathy for these fishermen, there is no immediate solution. Some experts have estimated that it may take one or two generations to thoroughly resolve the fishing issue between China and South Korea. At present, both sides should avoid intensifying the tension.

An unarmed fisherman was shot dead by a well-equipped coastal police force yesterday. Isn't it clear which side deserves more sympathy? We don't want to see the incident upset the bilateral relationship. But Seoul should react to the demands of an angry Chinese public by launching investigations and sorting out compensation.