The Coast Guard said Saturday that it seized a Chinese fishing boat on charges of illegal fishing in South Korean waters.

The 15-ton wooden vessel invaded the Northern Limit Line maritime border in the Yellow Sea by about four kilometers near the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong at around 10:30 a.m.

The Coast Guard believes the boat used fishing gear attached to a net to catch shellfish on the seabed.

Seven sailors on board will be taken to Incheon Port for investigation.

22 other Chinese fishing boats were evicted from the area this day over suspected illegal fishing.

The Coast Guard explained that a special vessel deployed to Yeonpyeong Island for the first time late last month played a pivotal role in Saturday's operation.