SOUTH KOREA: South Korea lodges official protest against Japan's disputed islands claim

Record ID: 213906

  • Title: SOUTH KOREA: South Korea lodges official protest against Japan's disputed islands claim
  • Date: 22nd February 2013
  • Summary: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (FEBRUARY 22, 2013) (REUTERS) ( * BEWARE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **) CAR CARRYING TAKASHI KURAI, JAPAN'S DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION IN SEOUL, ARRIVING AT FOREIGN MINISTRY KURAI (RIGHT) WALKING TOWARD BUILDING KURAI WALKING IN LOBBY KURAI GETTING INTO ELEVATOR MEDIA KURAI GETTING OUT OF ELEVATOR AND LEAVING FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN ENTERING JOURNALIST (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN CHO TAI-YOUNG SAYING: "We once again strongly urge Japan to abolish customs about the designation of the Dokdo Day (Takeshima Day) and to immediately stop unjustifiable territorial claims to Dokdo. We express deep regrets over this and strongly protest against Tokyo's sending of a government official to such an unjustifiable event." SPOKESMAN LEAVING JAPANESE FLAG AT TOP OF JAPANESE EMBASSY JAPANESE EMBASSY AND PROTESTERS VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING SLOGANS AND WAVING FISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) PROTEST LEADER MOON JE-IK SAYING: "It is really ridiculous and absurd and it is unreasonable (to celebrate Takeshima Day). They should abolish the day." VARIOUS OF CHANTING AND WAVING FISTS SOUTH KOREAN NATIONAL FLAG AND JAPANESE EMBASSY
  • Embargoed: 9th March 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Korea, Republic of
  • Country: South Korea
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA768IJNGG51JDI01USHE3R36QX
  • Story Text: South Korea lodges an official protest against Japanese claims over disputed islands called Dokdo in Korea and Takeshima in Japan.

    South Korean government on Friday (February 22) lodged an official protest against Japan's territorial claims over islands called Dokdo in Korea and Takeshima in Japan.
    Takeshima Day was designated by a local government in Matsue, western Japan in 2005, to support Japanese claims to the islands.
    But this year, high-ranking government officials attended the event which is meant to reinforce Japan's claims over the islands.
    Seoul's foreign ministry called on Takashi Kurai, Japan's Deputy Chief of Mission in Seoul to deliver its protest to the Japanese government.
    "We once again strongly urge Japan to abolish customs about the designation of the Dokdo Day (Takeshima Day) and to immediately stop unjustifiable territorial claims to Dokdo. We express deep regrets over this and strongly protest against Tokyo's sending of a government official to such an unjustifiable event," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Cho Tai-young said.
    Various civic groups also held rallies in front of Seoul's Japanese embassy on Friday.
    "It is really ridiculous and absurd and it is unreasonable (to celebrate Takeshima Day). They should abolish the day," said protest leader Moon Je-ik.
    While some South Koreans and police are currently living on the islands, Japan says the islands are part of sovereign territory illegally occupied by South Korea.
    Japan's relation with South Korea frayed badly last year after outgoing South Korean President Lee Myung-bak visited the disputed islands. South Koreas also harbour bitter resentment of Japanese rule from 1910 to 1945.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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