Gov`t mulls plans to block Japan`s UN Security Council membership

The government plans to demand the Japanese government to revise a controversial history textbook when extensive scrutiny of its contents is completed Apr. 20. Depending on the outcome of the examination, the government will study a measure to block the Tokyo government`s plan to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

The government received a comprehensive briefing from Ambassador to Japan Choi Sang-Yong, who was recalled from Tokyo Tuesday, and launched an ad hoc committee to work out countermeasures against the Japanese government`s authorization of the school text. The countermeasures committee will be composed of officials from the ministries of Education and Human Resources Development, Foreign Affairs-Trade, Culture and Information, as well as the Government Policy Administration Office and Government Information Agency. The committee will convene its first session Wednesday at the earliest.

The government earlier envisaged that Amb. Choi would return to Tokyo after three or four days in Seoul, but it is now considering having him stay here until next week. Meanwhile, Deputy Foreign Affairs-Trade Minister Yim Sung-Joon is scheduled to hold a press conference with foreign correspondents in Seoul to express Korea`s deep regret over Japan`s distortion of history, while calling on Tokyo to take measures to rectify the situation. During the planned press conference, Deputy Minister Yim will announce that the textbook question could shake the foundation of friendly relations between Korea and Japan and that national sentiment against the Japanese is worsening, ministry officials said.

[Yonhap]