South Korea called on Japan Friday to scrap a controversial event stressing its claim to the easternmost South Korean islets of Dokdo, warning that Seoul will sternly respond if its demand is not met.

Seoul’s demand came one week before Japan is scheduled to celebrate the so-called annual “Takeshima Day” on Feb. 22. The event was first launched by the Shimane prefecture in 2005 to support Japan’s attempts to lay claim to the South Korean islets, called Takeshima in Japan.

Tokyo announced earlier on Friday its plan to send a vice-ministerial level cabinet official to the annual event.

Protesting the decision, the foreign ministry in Seoul said, “Our government can never forgive Japan’s attempt to take such a provocative action after it did so last year over Dokdo.

“If Japan takes the provocative action, we will sternly react to it.” (Yonhap)