South Koreans protest against Japan's "Takeshima Day".

050316) -- SEOUL, March 16, 2005 (Xinhua) -- South Koreans hold a demonstration in front of the Japanese Embassy to South Korea in Seoul on March 16, 2005. The demonstration was to protest against Japan's Shimane Prefecture's approval of a bill designating Feb. 22 every year as the "Takeshima Day" on Wednesday.

South Koreans hold a demonstration in front of the Japanese Embassy to South Korea in Seoul on March 16, 2005. The demonstration was to protest against Japan's Shimane Prefecture's approval of a bill designating Feb. 22 every year as the "Takeshima Day" on Wednesday.

South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman Lee Kyu-hyung addresses an urgent press conference in Seoul, capital of South Korea, on March 16, 2005. He condemned Japanese Shimane Prefecture's assembly's endorsement of a bill designating Feb. 22 every year as the "Takeshima Day" and demanded an immediate repeal of the law. "Takeshima", a group of 33 islets called "Dokdo" in South Korea, is located some 89 kilometers southeast of South Korea's Uleung Island in the East Sea (Sea of Japan) and 160 kilometers northwest of Japan's Oki Island. Both countries claim sovereignty over the islets, which is under South Korea's control now.