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North Korea vows to defend disputed islet

PYONGYANG: The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Sunday denounced Japan's plan to conduct maritime survey around the disputed Tok islet, vowing to defend it. ``The DPRK will never turn its face away from the present situation in which the Korean nation is facing a highest task to defend Tok Islet,'' said a commentary carried by the official newspaper Minju Joson. The commentary came several days after Tokyo unveiled the plan to send survey ships into the disputed waters around the islet, which is called Tok in Korean and Takeshima in Japanese. The newspaper warned Japan ``to immediately give up their wild ambition to grab Tok Islet, which will give rise to catastrophic consequences.'' Japan agreed on Saturday to halt the survey of disputed waters after emergency talks with South Korea, which strongly opposes the survey, has dispatched 20 gunboats to the waters. Seoul has also warned of a possible physical confrontation if Japan goes ahead with its move.

— Xinhua

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