South Korea Files Formal Protest After Japan Reasserts Claim to Dokdo Islands
Updated (4 articles)
Seoul Submits Formal Complaint to Japanese Embassy On 20 February 2026, South Korea’s foreign ministry delivered a written protest to the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, demanding Japan withdraw its claim to the islets known as Dokdo in Korea and Takeshima in Japan [1]. Director‑General for Asia‑Pacific affairs Kim Sang‑hoon handed the document to deputy chief of mission Hirotaka Matsuo and formally summoned him for discussion [1]. The ministry framed the protest as a “resolution action” against what it called a provocation [1].
Japanese Foreign Minister Restates Sovereignty Claim in Parliament Earlier that day, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi addressed the Diet, referring to the islands as Takeshima and asserting they belong to Japan [1]. Motegi pledged a “resolute government response” to any challenge to the claim [1]. His speech continued a pattern of annual statements by Japanese foreign ministers over the past ten years [1].
South Korean Ministry Declares Japanese Claim Unjust and Unaffecting Sovereignty Seoul’s foreign ministry labeled the Japanese claim “unjust” and stated it cannot alter South Korea’s sovereignty over Dokdo [1]. The ministry warned that Japan’s position would not be tolerated and signaled further diplomatic measures [1]. It emphasized that the islets remain under South Korean administration despite Japan’s assertions [1].
Pattern of Annual Japanese Claims Extends Decade‑Long Diplomatic Friction Motegi’s remarks follow a decade‑long series of Japanese officials reiterating the claim in policy papers, public statements, and school textbooks [1]. The recurring assertions have kept the territorial dispute a persistent source of tension between the two nations [1]. Both governments continue to exchange formal protests and diplomatic summons over the issue [1].
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Timeline
1881 – The Joseon royal court selects nine officials for a four‑month mission to Japan, exposing Korean elites to Western‑style administration and technology and marking an early stage of Korea‑Japan engagement that later underpins territorial disputes. [2]
1896 – The Korean government issues a short‑hair edict, provoking public resistance rooted in Confucian values and illustrating the tension between modernization drives and traditional society, a pattern echoed in later nationalist claims over territory. [2]
2010 – North Korea proposes peace‑treaty talks to replace the Korean War armistice, prompting South Korean skepticism and highlighting the broader regional security environment that frames Seoul’s diplomatic posture toward Japan. [2]
2011 – A 120‑person South Korean Akh unit arrives in Dubai for training missions, demonstrating Seoul’s expanding defense cooperation abroad and its capacity to project military influence beyond the peninsula. [2]
2015 – Japan’s former envoy Takehiro Kano publicly acknowledges that Koreans were forced to work at the Sado mines during 1940‑45 and pledges to reflect that history, a commitment later invoked by Seoul in UNESCO disputes. [3]
2017 – South Korea’s defense white paper reports that North Korea possesses roughly 50 kg of weapons‑grade plutonium, shaping Seoul’s security calculations and its insistence on a strong stance in all diplomatic arenas, including territorial issues with Japan. [2]
2019 – Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung‑tae faces a power‑abuse investigation and subsequent indictment, underscoring domestic governance challenges that influence South Korea’s political focus on external sovereignty matters. [2]
Dec 9, 2025 – Seoul’s presidential office reaffirms that Dokdo is unequivocally South Korean territory, rejects Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s renewed Japanese claim, and declares that Korea will respond sternly to any unjust assertions, marking the first strong response since President Lee Jae Myung’s June inauguration. [4]
Dec 9, 2025 – Officials coordinate President Lee’s prospective visit to Nara Prefecture for a summit with Japan’s prime minister in January 2026, illustrating a two‑track diplomatic approach that separates cooperation from historical disputes. [4]
Dec 15, 2025 – South Korea criticizes Japan’s UNESCO implementation report on the Sado forced‑labor mines as incomplete, citing the 2015 pledge and noting that ICOMOS will review the report in the coming months before reporting to the World Heritage Committee. [3]
Feb 20, 2026 – South Korea’s foreign ministry files a formal protest with the Japanese embassy, demanding a retraction of Minister Toshimitsu Motegi’s parliamentary claim that the islets—referred to as Takeshima—belong to Japan; Director‑General Kim Sang‑hoon delivers the complaint and summons the deputy chief of mission, while Seoul declares the claim baseless and vows “resolution action.” [1]
Feb 20, 2026 – Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi reiterates Japan’s sovereignty claim over the islets in a parliamentary speech, stating that the government will respond resolutely to any challenge and continuing a decade‑long pattern of annual assertions. [1]
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