A group of South Korean scholars gathered Friday to address Japan's growing claims to Korea's easternmost islets of Dokdo.

In a symposium held at the Seoul Museum of History, experts from across the country held presentations and a debate on ways to counter Japan's claims. Historical records show that Dokdo has long been a part of Korea, but Japan has claimed it as its own since its 1910-45 colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula.

Professor Song Hwi-young of the Dokdo Institute at Yeungnam University argued in his presentation that Japanese court records from 1836 show the Japanese recognized Dokdo as Korean territory.

Citing the case of a Japanese man who was executed for smuggling on the Korean island of Ulleung, near Dokdo, Song said the court records contain a map on which both Ulleung Island and Dokdo are colored in red like the rest of Korea.

Kim Young-soo, who heads the Dokdo and East Sea research department of the Northeast Asian History Foundation, traced back the historical ties between Korea, Japan and Russia. In his presentation, he suggested the need to study the influence of the three countries' maritime exploration and development on Dokdo.

Professor Kim Hyun-soo of Inha University offered a legal perspective on the navigation of waters around Dokdo, while Professor Je Seong-ho of Chung-Ang University discussed the relationship between the 1998 South Korea-Japan fisheries agreement and the issue of sovereignty over Dokdo.

The one-day symposium was held under the theme, "Korea's sovereignty over Dokdo and overcoming the challenges of the international environment." (Yonhap)