South Korea 'strongly' protests Japan's renewed claim to Dokdo in defence white paper

Seoul, July 15 The South Korean government on Tuesday "strongly" protested after Japan reiterated its territorial claim to the islets of Dokdo in this year's defence white paper, summoning Japanese Embassy officials to lodge a complaint.

"The government strongly protests Japan's reiteration of its unjust territorial claim to Dokdo," South Korea's foreign ministry spokesperson said in a statement, describing the islets as South Korean territory in terms of history, geography and international law.

The spokesperson also called for the "immediate" withdrawal of Japan's claim, warning that the government will respond sternly to any provocations from Japan regarding Dokdo.

Seoul's defence ministry echoed the call, vowing a "stern" response to any attempt to undermine the country's territorial rights.

Both ministries called in officials from the Japanese Embassy in Seoul to lodge complaints, reported Yonhap news agency.

The foreign ministry summoned Yoshiyasu Iseki, the embassy's acting minister, to deliver a formal protest, while the defence ministry called in the embassy's defence attache.

The foreign ministry lodged a complaint over the renewed territorial claim, as well as the publication of a children's edition of the defence white paper that also asserts sovereignty over Dokdo.

The children's defence white paper had been available only online since 2021, but this year it was printed as a book and distributed to elementary schools for the first time.

Following a Cabinet meeting earlier in the day, the Japanese government released its annual defence white paper, referring to Dokdo by the Japanese name, Takeshiman, and describing it as part of Japan's territory.

The territorial issues over the islets "still remain unresolved," the white paper said, marking the 21st consecutive year the document has included Japan's claim to Dokdo

Dokdo has long been a recurring source of tension between the two neighbours, as Tokyo continues to make the sovereignty claims in its policy papers, public statements and school textbooks.

South Korea maintains a small police detachment on the islets, effectively controlling them.

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