Seoul: The ruling and the main opposition parties denounced Japan's territorial claims to South Korea's easternmost islets of Dokdo on Saturday as they marked Dokdo Day. "Dokdo is historically, geographically our territory," the ruling Democratic Party (DP) said in its commentary. "But Japan still claims its sovereignty over Dokdo and distorts shared history."
According to Yonhap News Agency, the DP expressed a desire for a future-oriented relationship between South Korea and Japan, but emphasized that Japan's claims to Dokdo and its historical distortions are unacceptable. The main opposition People Power Party also denounced Japan's assertions, reinforcing that the islets are part of South Korea's territory by historical and international law standards.
Japan's territorial claim to Dokdo has been a persistent source of diplomatic tension in relations with South Korea. Many South Koreans continue to harbor resentment towards Japan due to its colonial rule from 1910 to 1945. South Korea maintains a small police presence on the islets, exercising effective control over Dokdo.