Seoul snubs Japanese governor`s claim to Dokto

The government Wednesday brushed aside as nonsense remarks made by Nobuyoshi Sumida, governor of Shimane prefecture in Japan, that Korea`s occupation of the Dokto islets was illegal.

Officials here said there is no room for disputing Korea`s territorial claim to the islets, which are located off the east coast, not only on the basis of geography but also from the standpoint of history and international law. ``The claim laid by the Japanese deserves no comment,`` said one official, ``Yet a passing statement of disapproval seems in order because the utterance came at the same time that Japan has thrown up a bone of contention by trying to present a distorted account of its imperial past in its history textbooks.``

Boo Hyung-Kwon bookum90@donga.com