The crew of a Korea Coast Guard ship unfurls banners carrying the phrase "Let's Overcome the Coronavirus" near the country's easternmost Dokdo Islets, in this Sept. 2, 2021 file photo provided by the Korea Coast Guard. Yonhap

Korea "strongly" protested against Japan on Tuesday after Tokyo issued an annual diplomatic report renewing its territorial claims to the easternmost islets of Dokdo.

To lodge a formal protest over the report, Korea's foreign ministry called in Taisuke Mibae, the deputy chief of mission at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul.

The claim, strongly disputed by Korea, which has long maintained effective control of Dokdo with the permanent stationing of security personnel there, was included in the 2024 Diplomatic Bluebook that was reported to the Cabinet by Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa.

In this year's report, Japan continued to claim that Dokdo is Japanese territory historically and under international law, and that Korea is carrying on with an "illegal occupation" of the area.

Taisuke Mibae, the deputy chief of mission at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, enters the Korean foreign ministry building in Seoul, April 16. Yonhap

"The government strongly protests against the Japanese government's repeated unfair territorial claims over Dokdo, which is clearly our own territory historically, geographically and under international law, as announced in its Diplomatic Bluebook released on April 16, and urges (Japan) to withdraw it immediately," foreign ministry spokesperson Lim Soo-suk said in a commentary.

Lim added that such claims by Japan have no impact whatsoever on Korea's sovereignty over the islets, which are Korea's inherent territory.

Korea has long maintained the position that Dokdo is an integral part of Korean territory historically, geographically and under international law.

Japan again took issue with the Korean Supreme Court's ruling in 2018 that ordered Japanese companies to compensate Koreans forced into wartime labor during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule.

Tokyo has long held the position that all reparation issues were settled in the 1965 treaty that normalized the bilateral diplomatic ties.

Seeking to mend ties with Japan, Korea announced the so-called third-party reimbursement plan in March last year to compensate the victims through the foundation without compensation from liable Japanese firms.

Japan has insisted the issue be resolved through the third-party system.

On the bilateral ties, the bluebook referred to Korea as a "partner" for the first time in 14 years, pointing out Seoul and Tokyo's close cooperation is needed now more than ever, given the grave security environment of the Indo-Pacific region.

The Seoul ministry said Japan's use of the word "partner" appears to reflect its views on the improving bilateral ties.

"We believe the descriptions of Korea have improved partially compared with the previous year, including the inclusion of the expression 'partner' in defining our relations," Lim told a regular press briefing.

"We hope the two countries will cooperate closely in establishing a future-oriented relationship ahead of the 60th anniversary of the diplomatic ties next year," he said. (Yonhap)