A Chinese fisherman accused of fatally stabbing a South Korean coastguard officer during a raid last week on boats fishing illegally, has admitted the offence, according to a report.

The 42-year-old skipper is facing charges of murder and obstruction in South Korea for killing the officer and wounding another as they were trying to detain him and his boat in the Yellow Sea.

The second death of a coastguard at the hands of Chinese fishermen in less than four years sparked widespread anger in the South.

The skipper, while being taken to Incheon port Monday morning, answered "yes" when asked by reporters if he admitted the crime, Yonhap news agency reported.

"I feel sorry for the victim who died because of my mistake and for his family," Yonhap quoted him as saying. "I did that because the raid by officers was too intense."

Coastguard officers said earlier that the captain had denied involvement.

Illegal fishing by Chinese vessels is common in South Korean waters, with 475 boats seized so far this year compared with 370 in the whole of last year.

In October the coastguard said it used tear gas and rubber bullets to subdue Chinese fishermen wielding clubs and shovels.

In September 2008 a South Korean officer drowned while trying to inspect a Chinese boat.

After last week's death, South Korea's government urged Beijing to crack down harder on illegal fishing and lawmakers called for tougher punishment of violators.