South Korea on Tuesday protested against Japan’s renewed territorial claims to the disputed islets lying halfway between the two countries, called Dokdo by South Korea and Takeshima by Japan.
The South Korean Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the government strongly protested against the Japanese Government’s reiteration of “futile’’ territorial claims over Dokdo through Japan’s 2021 defence of white paper released.
The ministry noted that Dokdo was clearly an integral part of the South Korean territory in terms of history, geography and international law, calling for Japan to immediately retract such claims.
It said the government particularly expressed strong regrets over the Japanese government’s recent intensification of its unjust claims over Dokdo.
It also noted that the unjust claims did not, and would not, have any impact on South Korea’s sovereignty over Dokdo.
The ministry added that South Korea would respond strictly and firmly to any provocation over the islets.
The ministry called in Hirohisa Soma, deputy chief of mission at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, to protest against the white paper.
The Defence Ministry separately summoned a defence attaché of Japan to lodge a protest, according to Yonhap news agency.
Since 2005, Japan has laid territorial claims to the rocky outcroppings every year in its diplomatic blue and defence white papers. (Xinhua/NAN)
