Seoul rebuffs Tokyo's proposal for talks > 영어토론방

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Seoul has turned down Tokyo's recent proposal for ministerial talks because of the diplomatic dispute over the Dokdo islets, government sources said yesterday. Japan has offered to hold a bilateral meeting of foreign ministers on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum which opens in Singapore next week.
"We sent back a reply saying that we do not plan to do so," said a source speaking on condition of customary anonymity.

It is highly unusual for the government to turn down a proposal for diplomatic talks. But Korea shelved shuttle summit meetings with Japan from 2005 until the end of the Roh Moo-hyun administration due to the controversy over then-Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visits to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine which glorifies Class A war criminals and other dead Japanese soldiers as gods.

He added that Japan may be taking advantage of Korea's weak political situation, as President Lee Myung-bak has been under fire for deciding to resume imports of U.S. beef. Kwon said he will report to his Tokyo post after further discussions.
Government officials also said that other diplomatic plans with Japan could be deferred.

The official demanded that Japan make adjustments such as deleting the controversial phrase from its curriculum guidebook, and removing its Dokdo-sovereignty claim from the Foreign Ministry website.

On Monday, Japan announced its decision to include its sovereignty claim over Dokdo, called Takeshima by Japan, in a handbook for middle school students to be used starting in 2012. Japan is reportedly also planning to revise its curriculum guidebook this autumn.
"Japan is attempting to use its diplomatic muscle to win back lost support back home," the official said.

Dokdo, a group of small islets located in the rich natural resources zone in the East Sea, has often been the source of conflict between Korea and Japan. Japan has been making claims over the islets since 1905, when it incorporated Dokdo into Shimane Prefecture without Korea's knowledge, after its victory in the Russo-Japanese War, which led to Korea falling under colonial rule.

Lawmakers of the ruling Grand National Party and the opposition Democratic Party yesterday proposed a special law to protect Dokdo by specifying Korea's sovereignty over it. The bill states that Dokdo is a territory of the Republic of Korea and designates waters surrounding the islets as Korea's territorial waters.

By Lee Joo-hee (angiely@heraldm.com)

Question
1. How do you think about Japan's action regarding Dokdo?
   No matter it is right or bad, or logical or ridiculous, it can be true. And why do you think so?
2. Every time Japanese claim Dokdo is theirs, we say it is nonsense.
   What make Dokdo Ours, Koreans? And how do you support your opinion?
3. What do you think Japan can obtain by trying to occupy Dokdo and, occupying Dokdo?
4. What can we do to protect Dokdo from Japan?
   Discussion can take two ways around: non-governmental and governmental solutions.

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