Teachers Denounce Japanese Claim
By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter
Hundreds of members of civic groups gathered in front of the Japanese Embassy in Jongno-gu, Seoul Tuesday to denounce Tokyo's claim to Dokdo which was made in its new guidebook for school teachers and textbook publishers.
Members from the Korean Federation of Teachers Association held a protest in front of the embassy. They burnt a Japanese flag and Japanese history textbooks, chanting slogans criticizing the claim.
``Japan's recent assertion is an attempt to distort history and act to invade Korean territory,'' the association said in its statement. It also said, ``The groundless claim would worsen Seoul-Tokyo relations and disrupt the `future-oriented' relationship between the two neighbors. It would also pose a threat to peace in northeast Asia in the long run.''
President Lee Myung-bak held a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda on the sidelines of an expanded G8 summit in Japan. During the meeting, Lee called for a future-oriented relationship between the two states and Fukuda welcomed the proposal.
On the heels of the rally, hundreds of people from 40 civic groups including a volunteers' group to defend Dokdo held a press conference at the same venue to criticize the Japanese government's provocative action.
``This is a proclamation of war against Korean citizens,'' they said in a statement. ``We will defend Dokdo no matter what measures the Japanese government utilizes to steal the islets.''
In the meantime, an association comprised of former Korean prime ministers and ministers issued a statement, which call on the government to take a tougher stance against Japan.
In the statement, the former ministers demanded the Lee Myung-bak government transform itself into a hawkish stance from the current dovish one in handling diplomat issues including Dokdo with Japan.