By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
The Japanese government's announcement of its decision to define Dokdo islets as its territory in an educational guidebook has triggered fresh public uproar here. While politicians gathered to protest on Dokdo, citizens are holding rallies to express their objection.
All political parties denounced Japan, Monday, with ruling Grand National Party (GNP) Supreme Council member Rep. Chung Mong-joon and Democratic Party (DP) Chairman Chung Se-kyun each leading delegations to the islets. GNP party floor leader Hong Joon-pyo said: ``Should Japan carry on with its scheme, Korea-Japan relations will never be the same.''
Chung, head of the major opposition party, criticized President Lee Myung-bak and Ambassador to Japan Kwon Chul-hyun for immature diplomatic tactics.
Previously, the two said what was important for Seoul-Tokyo ties was the future and they would not question or talk about Dokdo or colonial rule. ``No one could deny the so-called pragmatism has caused such a plot by the Japanese government,'' Chung said.
Civic groups' resistance was also fierce. The North Gyeongsang branch of Junior Chamber International said, ``Japan's movement is a clear provocation and infringement on our sovereign authority.''
An alliance to secure Dokdo held a ``protest against Japanese education on Korean Dokdo,'' Monday. ``We have warned the government several times that we should seek ways to secure the territory before our counterpart tries to provoke us. Now the government should take some responsibility for it,'' the group's spokesman said.
Choi Jae-ik, honorary village chief of Dokdo, asked for the government to establish a public institute to study the Dokdo issue. Choi, the representative of 2,012 people who registered their birthplace as Dokdo, though actual residence is restricted, said the government should have structured countermeasures against such provocation. ``We need people to bring up the issue all-the-time,'' he was quoted as saying to Kuki News.
Residents of Ulleung County in North Gyeongsang Province, the closest mainland territory to Dokdo, held a protest against the Japanese government's announcement, too. ``The Japanese government must be out of its mind to write such false stories in textbooks. We should teach them some lessons, here,'' an angry participant said.