The Democratic People's Republicof Korea (DPRK) on Tuesday blasted a Japanese diplomat's claim to disputed islets off the Korean Peninsula, saying it betrayed Tokyo's ambition to retake the Korean Peninsula.

The assertion of Japanese Ambassador to South Korea Tohiyuki Takano that the Tok islets, known as Takeshima in Japan, belongs to Japan exposed Tokyo's territorial ambition and its attempt to "invade Korea again," said a commentary in Rodong Sinmun, the official daily of the country's ruling Korean Workers' Party.

The Korean Peninsula was under Japanese colonial rule between 1910 and 1945.

"The Tok islets are an inalienable territory belonging to Koreafrom historical, geographical and international legal points of view," the article said.

The Japanese claim "clearly disclosed... the brigandish nature and shameless greed of the Japanese reactionaries urged by ambition for territorial expansion and intention to stage a comeback to Korea by claiming the land of another country in a far-fetched manner out of gangster-like mode of thinking," it said.

The commentary said the "Japanese reactionaries" should know that the islets were clearly marked as Korean territory even in maps made by Japanese.

"By occupying the islets the Japanese reactionaries seek to clear the way for invading Korea (proper) again," it added.

"Their intention to put the islets under their control is the most foolish dream of plucking the sun in the sky. They would be well advised to discard such infeasible and baleful dream," the commentary said.

Takano told reporters last Wednesday that the disputed islands were "historically and legally part of the Japanese territory." Earlier, a draft act on instituting Feb. 22 as the "Takeshima Day"was submitted to the Shimane Prefectural Assembly of Japan.

Takano's remarks sparked daily protests in South Korea and threatened to strain relations between Seoul and Tokyo.

South Korea's Foreign Ministry called for an immediate withdrawal of the "Takeshima Day" bill and President Roh Moo-hyun on Tuesday called for an apology and compensation from Japan for its colonial rule.

The rocky volcanic islets, halfway between the Korean Peninsulaand Japan, are uninhabited but surrounded by fertile fishing grounds. They have been claimed by South Korea, the DPRK and Japansince the end of World War II.

South Korea effectively controls the islands by keeping a police contingent there.

Source: Xinhua