SKorea bans Japanese lawmakers' trip to disputed islets
Updated: 2011-08-01 13:47
(Xinhua)
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 Retired South Korean spy soldiers who were trained to infiltrate North Korea chant slogans during an anti-Japan rally at Gimpo airport in Seoul, denouncing Japan's sovereignty claim on disputed islands called Dokdo in Korean and Takeshima in Japanese August 1, 2011. South Korea on Monday denied the entry of three Japanese lawmakers, who planned to visit South Korea's Ulleung Island to protest against South Korea's claim of the disputed islands. Japan and South Korea have a long-simmering feud over the islands which are about equidistant from the two countries. South Korea controls the islands with a police presence. The banner on the left reads: "Japan! No funny tricks! You will die!" [Photo/Agencies] |
Yoshitaka Shindo, Domomi Inada and Masahisa Sato, all members of Japan's opposition Liberal Democratic Party, arrived at Seoul' s Gimpo International Airport earlier in the day on their way to the South Korean island of Ulleung, located some 90 kilometers away from the disputed islets.
The move is seen here as the latest in a series of attempt by Japan to lay territorial claims to the set of rocky outcroppings lying halfway between the two countries, known as Dokdo here and Takeshima in Japan.
South Korea, which controls the East Sea islands, had officially notified Japan it would not authorize the conservative lawmakers'visit, voicing concerns for safety of the lawmakers and bilateral ties with Japan.