The South Korean government on Tuesday sent a note of protest to Japan over its recent comments on the sovereignty of the disputed islands of Dokdo, also known as Takeshima.
Seo Min Jung, director of Asia-Pacific affairs at the South Korean Foreign Ministry, handed the note to Japanese diplomat Naoki Kumagai after Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi referred to the islands as part of Japan during a speech.
Following his speech, Lim Soo Suk, spokesman for the South Korean ministry, submitted a document requesting the Japanese government to retract. «The repetition of such remarks does nothing to help the idea of establishing relations going forward,» he said, according to Yonhap news agency.
The disputed islands lie between Japan and South Korea, and came under South Korean jurisdiction after World War II. However, Japan has repeatedly referred to this situation as an «illegal occupation» of the islands, which it considers part of its Shimane prefecture.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
