South Korea to return Japan s protest letter

South Korea: South Korea said Thursday it would return a protest letter from Japan's prime minister without answering it, amid a bitter row over disputed islands in the Sea of Japan (East Sea).

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's letter will be returned because it could be used by Tokyo to strengthen its territorial claim over the islands, the foreign ministry said.
The letter addressed to South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak has been kept at the South's embassy in Japan.

"Our embassy in Japan will contact the Japanese side today to return Prime Minister Noda's letter," said ministry spokesman Cho Tai-Young.

Relations have sharply worsened since Lee paid a surprise visit on August 10 to the Seoul-controlled islands known as Dokdo in Korean and Takeshima in Japan.

He said his trip, the first by a South Korean president, was intended to press Japan to settle grievances left over from its colonial rule over Korea from 1910-45.

Lee further angered Japan by saying later that Emperor Akihito would have to sincerely apologise for past excesses should he wish to visit South Korea.

Noda in his letter expressed regret at the islands visit and at Lee's remarks on Akihito, Yonhap news agency said.

The visit infuriated Japan, which recalled its ambassador from Seoul. Tokyo also cancelled a finance ministers' meeting scheduled for this month and said it would review a foreign exchange swap agreement with Seoul.

South Korea has rejected Japan's proposal that the two countries ask the International Court of Justice to settle the dispute.

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Source: http://www.timesofoman.com/innercat.aspx?detail=10545

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