ID :
174800
Tue, 04/12/2011 - 10:16
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/174800
The shortlink copeid
Key politician to ask President Lee to visit Dokdo
DOKDO, South Korea, April 12 (Yonhap) -- A key aide to President Lee Myung-bak said Tuesday that Lee needs to visit Dokdo himself to show the world South Korea's firm control of the rocky islets in the East Sea despite Japan's continued claims.
The neighboring nations have been locked in a renewed diplomatic row since Tokyo last month adopted new middle school textbooks that describe Dokdo as its territory.
"I will recommend that the president visit Dokdo in person," Lee Jae-oh, a senior lawmaker of the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) who doubles as minister for special affairs, said during a trip to Dokdo.
The minister added that if realized, the president's visit will serve as a chance to declare to the world that Dokdo belongs to South Korea.
He is known as the president's right-hand man, having played a role as a "kingmaker" throughout the presidential campaign in 2007. The minister, tasked with handling the government's relations with the National Assembly and North Korea policy, is said to be a potential presidential candidate.
If the president travels to Dokdo, he would become the first South Korean leader to do so.
Seoul has long stuck to so-called quiet diplomacy on the Dokdo issue in contrary to Tokyo's vocal campaign to bring it to the international stage.
The minister backed Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik's view that South Korea may deploy military troops on the islets.
"I think the government should take measures to defend (Dokdo) along with not only the Coast Guard, but also the Navy or Marine Corps in case it is necessary," he said. "This is because Japan can approach Dokdo unexpectedly."
South Korea maintains a small Coast Guard unit on the islets as a show of its effective control of Dokdo.
The lawmaker also stressed that the National Assembly should step up efforts to protect Seoul's sovereignty.
"Currently, the Dokdo defense is being carried out under a presidential directive. (We) need to take measures through the National Assembly so that (we) can defend and protect Dokdo by making a law on the protection of territory through a legal review," he said.
He said he will urge related ministers to complete a set of 28 measures aimed at reinforcing the effective control of Dokdo by the end of this year. He said the measures include the construction of a science and research platform on the islets and the renovation of a helipad.
The neighboring nations have been locked in a renewed diplomatic row since Tokyo last month adopted new middle school textbooks that describe Dokdo as its territory.
"I will recommend that the president visit Dokdo in person," Lee Jae-oh, a senior lawmaker of the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) who doubles as minister for special affairs, said during a trip to Dokdo.
The minister added that if realized, the president's visit will serve as a chance to declare to the world that Dokdo belongs to South Korea.
He is known as the president's right-hand man, having played a role as a "kingmaker" throughout the presidential campaign in 2007. The minister, tasked with handling the government's relations with the National Assembly and North Korea policy, is said to be a potential presidential candidate.
If the president travels to Dokdo, he would become the first South Korean leader to do so.
Seoul has long stuck to so-called quiet diplomacy on the Dokdo issue in contrary to Tokyo's vocal campaign to bring it to the international stage.
The minister backed Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik's view that South Korea may deploy military troops on the islets.
"I think the government should take measures to defend (Dokdo) along with not only the Coast Guard, but also the Navy or Marine Corps in case it is necessary," he said. "This is because Japan can approach Dokdo unexpectedly."
South Korea maintains a small Coast Guard unit on the islets as a show of its effective control of Dokdo.
The lawmaker also stressed that the National Assembly should step up efforts to protect Seoul's sovereignty.
"Currently, the Dokdo defense is being carried out under a presidential directive. (We) need to take measures through the National Assembly so that (we) can defend and protect Dokdo by making a law on the protection of territory through a legal review," he said.
He said he will urge related ministers to complete a set of 28 measures aimed at reinforcing the effective control of Dokdo by the end of this year. He said the measures include the construction of a science and research platform on the islets and the renovation of a helipad.
