South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun said Thursday that his country is capable of deterring any armed provocation from Japan that could result from Tokyo's repeated claims to South Korea's East Sea islets of Dokdo and its surrounding waters.
"It is important for us to be equipped with defense capabilities so that (Japan) would be subject to more damage than benefits in case of a military provocation," the president said in a luncheon with about 200 Coast Guard officers at his Cheong Wa Dae residence.
The Coast Guard is now responsible for guarding the nation's sovereign territorial rights over Dokdo and its surrounding waters.
"It is true that Japan is superior in military might. But we're also equipped with defense capabilities that enable us to deter any Japanese aggression," said the president.
"In the fields of intelligence, we should further raise our capabilities to the level of Japan."
Roh has repeatedly said his government would no longer engage in quiet diplomacy as far as Japan's claim to Dokdo is concerned. Seoul, June 22 (Yonhap News)
President Roh calls for stronger defense capability against Japan |
