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South Korean officials say a Chinese fisherman has been hospitalized after a North Korean warship allegedly opened fire on his boat for illegally fishing in waters off the west coast.

A South Korean coast guard official said today (Monday), that the captain of the fishing vessel was hit by shrapnel from a shell believed fired from the North Korean vessel.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency said the captain was seriously injured and is hospitalized at Inha University in Incheon.

A Chinese Embassy official in Seoul said he had no immediate comment on the incident.

Officials say the number of Chinese fishing boats encroaching on Korean waters is increasing because of over-fishing and pollution off the Chinese coast.