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S.Korean PM visits disputed islets
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-07-29 23:56 PM appeals for calmness The latest confrontation between South Korea and Japan over the islets has greatly wrecked the bilateral ties of the two neighbors and triggered massive protests in South Korea.
Following Japan's decision of defining Dokdo as part of Japanese territory in a teacher's guidebook on July 14 despite South Korea's repeated opposition, South Korea recalled its ambassador to Tokyo and is taking a series of countermeasures to strengthen sovereignty control over Dokdo. However, Han said at Dokdo that South Korea must "keep calm" over the issue. "It is important that we remain composed, as excessive and emotional reactions will only trigger international disputes. Let's be rational and use this incident as a chance to make clear to the outside world that Dokdo belongs to us," he said. Although the Lee Myung-bak's administration has expressed strong condemnation over Japan's challenge to the sovereignty of Dokdo, it seems that South Korean government prefers a quiet control over the islets to developing the issue into a dispute on international courts. |
