S. Korea strongly protests Japan’s renewed claim over Dokdo

January 24, 2025

South Korea on Friday strongly protested Japan’s renewed claim to its easternmost islets of Dokdo after Japan’s top diplomat described them as part of his country’s territory.

Earlier in the day, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya reiterated Tokyo’s territorial claim over the islets in South Korea’s East Sea during a parliamentary session.

“The government strongly protests against the Japanese government’s repeated unjust territorial claims over Dokdo and urge for its immediate withdrawal,” ministry spokesperson Lee Jae-woong said in a statement.

Lee said that such claims by Japan have no impact on South Korea’s sovereignty over the islets, calling them an inherent part of South Korea’s territory historically, geographically and under international law.

He said Japan should realize that repeating such claims about Dokdo would not be helpful to establishing bilateral relations in a future-oriented way.

The ministry plans to call in Taisuke Mibae, deputy chief of mission at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, later in the day to protest against the latest claim.

South Korea has been in effective control of Dokdo with a small police detachment, since its liberation from Japanese colonial rule in 1945.

This undated photo, provided by the foreign ministry, shows South Korea's easternmost islets of Dokdo. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
This undated photo, provided by the foreign ministry, shows South Korea’s easternmost islets of Dokdo. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)