China is farming salmon from its structures installed in a Yellow Sea area jointly managed with South Korea and selling the fish on the domestic market.

An official at South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that the government has been aware of the related developments through various channels.

The official added that South Korea and China have continued working-level consultations regarding the Yellow Sea structures following their leaders' agreement in Gyeongju and that the two sides will seek progress through constructive dialogue.

According to diplomatic sources, salmon raised at the Shenlan No. 1 and No. 2 facilities installed by China in the Provisional Measures Zone, a maritime zone jointly managed with South Korea, have been sold in China since last year.

Though Seoul considers the two structures to be semi-fixed facilities with potential military use, sources say China maintains they are purely aquaculture sites, fueling Seoul's concerns that Beijing may reject their dismantling.

China has also said it plans to expand the number of aquaculture structures to 12 over the next five years.