S. Korean court sentences Chinese captain to 30 yr in jail

SEOUL, April 19 (Xinhua) -- A South Korean local court Thursday sentenced the captain of a Chinese fishing vessel to 30 years in prison for killing a South Korean coast guard officer last year.

Aside from the jail term, the court, which is based in South Korea's western port city of Incheon, also handed down a fine of 20 million won (17,738 U.S. dollars) to Cheng Dawei after prosecutors had demanded death penalty against him.

The captain stabbed two South Korean coast guard officers in December, killing one and injuring the other, after his boat was stopped for illegal fishing.

The verdict said Cheng, in a conditioned response, alarmedly wielded a knife and killed the officer after abrupt flash bombs from the coast guard.

The court also imposed prison sentences and fines on nine other Chinese sailors related to the case.

The defendants did not said whether they would appeal against the ruling. They are planned to meet their lawyers early next week.