South Korea is to recall its ambassador to Japan in protest at a sovereignty claim made by Tokyo on an island which is disputed between the Asian neighbours.
South Korean officials said the Japanese government had informed Seoul that Tokyo would refer in school instruction guidelines to the islands, which it calls Takeshima, as part of Japanese territory.
South Korea, which calls the islands Dokdo, says that the rocky islets are a part of its territory. It maintains a police presence on the islands located in waters between the two.
Reuters