Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "Japanese Foreign Minister's Claim on Dokdo Sovereignty Must Be Immediately Withdrawn"

Negative Impact on Future-Oriented Korea-Japan Relations

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 24th demanded that Japan's Foreign Minister "immediately retract" his claim that Dokdo is Japanese territory, made during a diplomatic speech to the National Diet.

In a statement issued under the spokesperson's name on the same day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "We strongly protest the Japanese government's repeated unjust territorial claims over Dokdo through the Foreign Minister's diplomatic speech to the National Diet."

The Ministry emphasized, "The government reiterates that Japan's unjust claims have no impact whatsoever on our sovereignty over Dokdo," and added, "We once again declare that we will respond firmly to any provocations from Japan."

Furthermore, the Ministry stated, "The Japanese government must clearly realize that repeatedly making unjust claims over Dokdo, which is clearly our inherent territory historically, geographically, and under international law, does not help in building a future-oriented Korea-Japan relationship."