South Korean lawmakers visit disputed islands as tensions with Japan mount

Six Korean lawmakers flew to the islands, known as Dokdo in Korea and Takeshima in Japan, to protest against curbs imposed by Tokyo

The Japanese foreign ministry called the visit unacceptable and reiterated that the islands are ‘an inherent territory of Japan’

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South Korean visitors tour the Dokdo Islets. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 9:42pm, 31 Aug 2019Updated: 9:45pm, 31 Aug 2019

A group of South Korean lawmakers on Saturday visited islands disputed with Japan, sparking a protest from the Japanese foreign ministry as the countries’ already tense relationship deteriorates further.

Six Korean lawmakers flew to the islets, known as Dokdo in Korea and Takeshima in Japan, in part to protest Japanese curbs on shipments of essential components for making smartphone chips, South Korea’s chief export.

“Regardless of the South Korean government’s efforts, Japan has not only dropped South Korea from the “white list”, but also, it is claiming Dokdo as part of its territory, worsening the South Korea-Japan relations,” said Sul Hoon, a ruling Democratic Party lawmaker.

A South Korean naval ship patrols the islands named Dokdo in Korean and Takeshima in Japanese. Photo: Reuters

Japan’s foreign ministry has lodged a “stern” protest over the visit. In its statement, the ministry said the Korean lawmakers had ignored Japan’s previous demand that the plan be scrapped, and called the visit “extremely regrettable”.

Kenji Kanasugi, director general of the Foreign Ministry’s Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, told Kim Kyung Han, political minister at the South Korean Embassy in Japan, that the islands are “an inherent territory of Japan in light of historical facts and international law” and such a visit is “unacceptable”, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.