A South Korean activist has sent packages of data verifying South Korea's ownership of the Dokdo islets to Japan's media outlets as part of his protest against the neighboring country's Friday event to promote its territorial claims to the islets.

Seo Kyoung-duk, a professor at Sungshin Women's University and activist helping promote Korea's Dokdo ownership, said he sent the packages to about 120 Japanese newspapers and broadcasting firms last week while he was visiting Kyoto.

The packages include leaflets, historical and international documents, all in the Japanese language, that support South Korea's ownership to the islets lying halfway between Korea and Japan, he said.

His action came in protest against a Japan prefecture's hosting of an event designed to raise claims to the rocky islets.

In 2006, the Shimane Prefecture, which claims administrative sovereignty over the islets, designated Feb. 22 as a day to promote Takeshima, the Japanese name for Dokdo.

The islets have long been a major source of dispute and tension between the two neighbors since Japan forcibly subjugated the Korean Peninsula as a colony for 36 years in the early 20th century.

He hopes his actions can persuade the Japanese media outlets to refrain from reporting the event, Seo said, adding media coverage of the event has unnecessarily made it grow in size every year.

"The Japanese media should form a right public opinion by pointing out the wrongdoings by the Japanese government. They should hopefully deliver the exact truth to the Japanese people,"

Seo said, quoting sentences he used in letters sent to Japanese media outlets.

A South Korean singer also unveiled his plan to launch an online campaign to promote South Korea's sovereignty over the islets.

Popular singer Kim Jang-hoon, also well known for his activities supporting South Korea's Dokdo ownership, said the campaign is designed to encourage local social network service users to spread photos of the islets.

Through the campaign, he will encourage Internet users to make photos of Dokdo their background images on social network profiles and mobile devices, Kim said. The plan is also intended to mark the March 1 Independence Movement Day.

"South Korea is an information technology and SNS powerhouse.

The world envies its cohesion," Kim said. "The campaign is to join hands and build up a base to promote South Korea."

Kim added he plans to expand the campaign to the international level. (Yonhap News)