(LEAD) S. Korea urges Japan to correct territorial claims over Dokdo in new high school textbooks

▲ Hirotaka Matsuo, deputy chief of mission at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, arrives at the South Korean foreign ministry as he was called in over Japan's approval of new social studies-related high school textbooks stating South Korea's easternmost islets of Dokdo as its territory, in this photo taken March 24, 2026. (Yonhap)

▲ This file photo captures a graphic image of Japan and around the region, where South Korea's easternmost islets of Dokdo are indicated as part of Japan's territory. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

(LEAD) S Korea-Japan-textbooks

(LEAD) S. Korea urges Japan to correct territorial claims over Dokdo in new high school textbooks

(ATTN: ADDS photo)

By Kim Seung-yeon

SEOUL, March 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea urged Japan on Tuesday to correct its territorial claims over Dokdo, Korea's easternmost islets, in new high school textbooks, after Tokyo announced the list of state-approved publications for next year.

The foreign ministry called in Hirotaka Matsuo, deputy chief of mission at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, to lodge a complaint, expressing deep regret over the description of distorted facts about the islets.

Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology announced the final list of social studies-related textbooks approved for use in high schools starting next year.

Most of the textbooks describe Dokdo, referred to as Takeshima by Japan, as part of Japanese territory.

The textbooks state that Dokdo was placed under Japanese jurisdiction and incorporated into Shimane Prefecture in 1905, describing South Korea's control of the islets as "illegal."

In a separate statement, Seoul strongly called for Tokyo to make "an immediate" correction to its unfounded claims.

"We strongly protest the approval of high school textbooks that distort historical facts and call for their immediate correction," Park Il, foreign ministry spokesperson, said.

"We also strongly protest the Japanese government's repeated approval of textbooks containing baseless claims over Dokdo, which is clearly our inherent territory historically, geographically and by international law, and we make it clear that any unjust Japanese claims to Dokdo are unacceptable," he said.

The ministry also expressed regret that Japan continues to allow the publication of textbooks containing descriptions diluting the coercive nature of wartime forced labor and sexual slavery by the Japanese imperial army during World War II.

"We urge the Japanese government to approach history education based on the spirit of repentance and reflection regarding past historical issues, as it has previously acknowledged," Park said.

"As a future-oriented relationship must be built on a correct understanding of history, we expect the Japanese government to take a responsible approach in educating future generations," he added.

Dokdo has long been a recurring source of tension between the two neighbors, as Tokyo continues to make the sovereignty claims in its policy papers, public statements and school textbooks.

South Korea maintains a small police detachment on the islets, effectively controlling them.

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