Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

ROK protests statements in Japan’s 2022 Defense White Paper

On July 22, Friday, the Director General for International Policy of the Ministry of National Defense summoned a defense attache at the Japanese embassy in the Republic of Korea (ROK) (Takao Nakashima, chief defense officer of the Maritime Self-defense Force) to strongly protest Japan’s unjust territorial claims over Dokdo and its unilateral statements on the current issues between the two countries in the 2022 Japan White Defense Paper. The ministry demanded an immediate retraction of the claims and urged that such acts be halted.

The ministry strongly protested the fact that Japan has renewed its unjust territorial claims over Dokdo, which is clearly our inherent territory, historically, geographically and internationally, in its defense white paper, and made it clear that we will respond sternly to any provocation related to our sovereignty over Dokdo.

The ministry also expressed deep regret at Japan’s continued unilateral statements on the current defense issues between the two countries, and demanded an immediate retraction of the statements.