SEOUL/TOKYO: The leader of a South Korean opposition party landed Monday on islands in the Sea of Japan that are controlled by Seoul but also claimed by Tokyo.

Cho Kuk, leader of the Rebuilding Korea Party, later released a statement claiming that the isles, called Takeshima in Japan and Dokdo in South Korea, are part of his country’s territory.

The Japanese Foreign Ministry lodged a protest with the South Korean side the same day, saying that the landing was totally unacceptable and extremely regrettable.

NAMAZU Hiroyuki, director-general of the ministry’s Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, told Kim Jang-hyun, a senior official at the South Korean Embassy in Tokyo, that the islands are clearly Japan’s inherent territory in light of historical facts and based on international law. Namazu noted that the landing took place despite a prior request to cancel it.

The landing came amid growing discontent in South Korea over the Japanese communications ministry’s order for LY Corp., the operator of the Line messaging app, to consider reviewing its ties with South Korean technology firm Naver Corp. The order came after Line suffered massive personal information breaches linked to Naver.

Regarding the issue, Cho said in his statement that he must stand firm for his country’s national interest and future, and that he visited the disputed islands to protest the current South Korean administration’s stance because he could not understand which country’s interests the administration was trying to protect.

Late last month, several members of the Democratic Party of Korea, South Korea’s main opposition party, landed on the isles.

Cho served as justice minister under former President Moon Jae-in, but resigned after only a month in office, in the face of allegations including over his child’s admission to a school.

His party won 12 seats in South Korea’s general election last month on a platform fiercely critical of the current administration.

JIJI Press