South Koreans swim to disputed Dokdo islands in anti-Japan protest Updated 14 August 2012, 14:35 AEST Slug: South

Korea swimming protest eporter: !ar" #illa$% &'T ( A )itter dispute )etween *apan and South Korea o+er a $ouple o, small +ol$ani$ islands has seen the re$all o, an am)assador, the +andalism o, a $onsulate, an international $ourt $hallenge and the non-awarding o, an (l%mpi$ medal in .ondon/ 'ow, in an anti-*apan protest, a group o, South Koreans is attempting to swim the 230 "ilometres ,rom the mainland to the islands "nown as 0o"do/ !ar" #illa$% ,rom adio Australia has more/ TE1T 20o"do is our territor%,2 the% shout, )e,ore stripping down to their swimming out,its and tugging on their swimming $aps/ .ed )% ,amous ro$" )allad singer, Kim *ang-hoon, these South Koreans are a)out to em)ar" on a 230 "ilometre rela% swim to a $ouple o, ro$"% out$rops in the middle o, the Sea o, *apan, "nown as 0o"do/ Kim 3ang-hoon 4lip 1 5!ale, Korean translated to English6: 70o"do is undenia)l% our territor%, it )elongs to South Korea,2 sa%s Kim *ang-hoon/ 2#e will swim there so that 0o"do will not ,eel alone,2 he sa%s/ There8s $ertainl% a loo" o, isolation and solitude a)out these +ol$ani$ spe$"s, whi$h also happen to lie in the midst o, ri$h ,ishing grounds and near a sea)ed $o+ering +ast natural gas deposits/ There are onl% two permanent residents on 0o"do, an elderl% ,isherman and his wi,e/ South Korea now rotates $oastguard o,,i$ers through a )ase there/ 9ut it was a trip last wee" )% South Korean president, .ee !%ung-)a", that reall% thrust these )arren ro$"s into the international spotlight/ This ,irst +isit )% a South Korean leader enraged the $ountr%8s ,ormer imperial master *apan/ 9e$ause it too $laims so+ereignt% o+er 0o"do, or as To"%o pre,ers to $all the pla$e Ta"eshima/ Koi$hiro :em)a 4.&; 1 5!ale, Korean-translated to English6: 2#e are now loo"ing to ta"e this issue to the &nternational 4ourt o, *usti$e/ #e want to see" a pea$e,ul resolution/< 9ut sin$e the president8s +isit to 0o"do, there8+e )een some de$idedl% +iolent responses/ Someone in the *apanese $it% o, 3iroshima threw a )ri$" through the ,ront door o, the South Korean $onsulate there/

The )rawl e+en spilled o+er into the .ondon (l%mpi$s, when South Korean ,oot)all pla%er, ;ar" *ong-woo, held alo,t a sign reading 20o"do is our territor%2 a,ter his team had =ust de,eated *apan ,or the )ron>e medal/ 3is a$tion +iolated the (l%mpi$ $harter )anning politi$al statements )% athletes, and ;ar" le,t .ondon without his )ron>e/ 9a$" at the )ea$h it8s time to )egin the 230 "ilometre protest swim to 0o"do/ S?1 swimming @Sounds o, people starting swim and $hanting Although it sounds li"e these Korean waters are a little $older than the .ondon pool/ &t8s eApe$ted the swimmers will rea$h 0o"do the neAt da%, whi$h =ust happens to )e .i)eration 0a% in South Korea, mar"ing the end o, *apan8s 35 %ears o, $olonial rule o+er the Korean peninsula/ BBB