S. Korea to stage military drill near disputed island

SEOUL (AFP) - South Korea will stage a regular military exercise near a disputed island this month amid a renewed territorial claim by Japan, the defence ministry said on Thursday.

The twice-yearly defensive drill near the Seoul-controlled islet in the East Sea (Sea of Japan) will be held in mid-August, a ministry spokesman said without elaborating.

The island is called Dokdo in South Korea and Takeshima by Japan.

Seoul on Tuesday voiced "strong protests" at a renewed claim to the island in Tokyo's recent defence white paper, and summoned a senior Japanese diplomat to lodge a complaint.