Protect human security at sea: Invisible violence and our responsibility

The sea is a shared stage for humanity and the cradle of life. However, today the waters of Southeast Asia are not life-sustaining spaces, but rather sites of extreme violence and human rights abuses. The sea is not merely a place for fishing and trade; it is a public domain where the lives and dignity of people must be protected. While we are familiar with concepts like national security and maritime security, the notion of human security often feels unfamiliar. Yet the stark reality of forced labor and human rights violations at sea compels us to reexamine the essence of human security.

According to a 2021 report by the International Labour Organization (ILO), at least 128,000 people are subjected to forced labor in the global maritime industry. Particularly, the waters of Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean are considered the most severely affected regions. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) noted in a 2022 report that the illegal fishing and maritime labor exploitation networks in Southeast Asia constitute a criminal system valued at $23 billion annually. In Thailand alone, more than 2,500 cases of illegal fishing and forced labor were identified between 2019 and 2021, and the actual number of victims is estimated to be much higher.

Let’s look at some real-life cases that reveal the human dimension behind these statistics. In 2015, Thai media exposed shocking cases where Myanmar migrant workers were sold onto Thai fishing boats and forced to work under prison-like conditions, suffering murder, assault, and unpaid labor. Most had been deceived by promises of “good jobs” and trafficked by brokers. Once onboard, there was no returning to land. Some fishermen reported seeing corpses thrown into the sea and others were killed while attempting to escape.

In another horrifying case, Cambodian and Myanmar fishermen rescued in Indonesian waters in 2018 testified that they were threatened with beatings and electric torture, forced to work more than 20 hours a day, and had received no wages for 2–3 years. Some died from hunger and disease in the middle of the sea, and their bodies were discarded into the ocean. Survivors testified, “This place was hell.”

The nature of these maritime human rights abuses cannot be seen merely as criminal acts. They are fundamental violations of both maritime security and human security. The sea should not only serve the “interests of states.” The lives, freedoms, and dignity of those who earn their livelihoods on the sea must not be neglected when we talk about maritime security.

The importance of human security at sea is not just about the number of victims. It is because the sea is humanity’s shared heritage, a space where human dignity must be realized. Through the sea, humanity has met, shared resources, and sought coexistence beyond borders. But when the sea becomes a lawless zone, it is the powerless and voiceless who suffer first. Maritime security and human security are not separate. To secure the sea is to secure the lives and freedoms of those who work on it — and this is an ethical obligation of a civilized society.

Korea is not free from responsibility in this matter. According to the Korea Maritime Institute (KMI), South Korea imported $5.5 billion (approx. 7.2 trillion KRW) worth of seafood in 2020, much of it from Southeast Asia and the South Pacific. The problem is that there are frequent reports of human rights abuses and illegal fishing associated with these regions. For instance, some shrimp and tuna products imported to Korea in 2020 were found to have originated from operations in Thai and Indonesian waters linked to such abuses. If the seafood on our tables is tainted with someone’s blood and tears, we cannot ignore their suffering-we bear a moral responsibility not to consume such products.

So what should we do? Concluding with policy recommendations, we must take practical action to ensure that the sea never again becomes a “graveyard of human rights.”

First, Korea must explicitly incorporate the value of human security into its maritime security strategies. Agencies like the Coast Guard, Navy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries must cooperate to systematically investigate and share data on illegal fishing and forced labor in Southeast Asian waters and enhance international joint investigations. For this, Korea should expand the system of dispatching liaison officers and local Coast Guard officials abroad to enable real-time information exchange with local maritime authorities.

Second, the country should enhance seafood traceability and strengthen “exploitation-free” seafood certification systems. Import restrictions on IUU (Illegal, Unreported, Unregulated) fishing countries must be enforced effectively, and seafood origins and production histories should be transparently disclosed. Further, seafood importers and processors should be mandated to publish social responsibility reports, and international certification schemes (e.g., MSC, ASC) should be linked with domestic consumer movements to establish a culture of ethical consumption.

Third, there needs to be more prevention and capacity building through international cooperation and development aid. Korea, in collaboration with KOICA and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, should support maritime surveillance systems (satellite data, monitoring equipment) in Southeast Asian waters, enhance local fishermen’s training, and boost their ability to fight maritime crimes. By contributing to global maritime governance, Korea can position itself not just as a maritime powerhouse, but as a leading nation in just maritime security.

Lastly, public awareness and social vigilance are crucial. Just like we demand “fair trade coffee,” consumers must demand “exploitation-free seafood.” Facing the tragedies at sea and transforming them into acts of justice through consumption is the first step we can take.

The sea must be a space for human freedom and dignity. If it descends into lawlessness, the safety and prosperity of all are ultimately at risk. Ensuring safety at sea and protecting the lives and rights of those who work there are inseparable. Only when the sea is safe can the people on it be protected, and only when their rights are respected can the sea be truly secure. Ultimately, protecting maritime order and human dignity together is the only way to secure a safe future for everyone. Upholding justice and solidarity at sea is not a choice but an ethical promise we must fulfill today. We must now join the path of defending human security in the name of maritime security-so that our seafood is no longer stained with blood and tears.