Ruling party heavyweight blasts Japanese lawmakers over visit

Ruling party heavyweight blasts Japanese lawmakers over visit. August. 01, 2011 03:10. gaea@donga.com.

Lee Ju-young, policy committee chairman of the leading Grand National Party, harshly criticized three right-wing lawmakers of Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party on Sunday for pushing ahead to visit South Korea`s Ulleung Island, calling it an indication of another provocation.

A day before the Japanese lawmakers’ scheduled visit to the island, Lee held a news conference at the party headquarters in northern Seoul, saying, They`re pushing for the visit despite the Korean government’s ban based on the immigration control law. They`re assassins without swords.”

“Korea-Japan relations should move toward progressive development, and I condemn Japan’s degrading activities. If they push for their visit to the island, Japan’s national status will decline and Korea’s will to protect the Dokdo islets will grow even stronger," he added.

Special Affairs Minister Lee Jae-oh visited Ulleung and Dokdo islets Sunday for a four-day stay. Calling himself "Dokdo`s protector," he wrote on his Twitter page, “The Liberal Democratic Party of Japan is trying to pounce on Korean territory, Dokdo, to recover its declining ground in Japan. This is an ill-intended attempt,” adding, “The descendants of war criminals are trying to test Korea. I will clearly show that they have no room to stand in Dokdo.”

Minister Lee will stay in Dokdo until Wednesday to counter Japan’s sovereignty claim, encourage residents, and stand sentry with guards. He had visited the islets in April after Japan approved textbooks claiming sovereignty over Dokdo.