South Korea has protested Japan's repeated claim to the Dokdo islets as voiced by Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi in a parliamentary speech on Monday.

In a statement, Seoul's foreign ministry called on Tokyo to stop its useless and unjust claims to Dokdo which is clearly Korean territory historically, geographically and by international law. It urged the minister's remarks to be immediately withdrawn. 

The ministry said Japan must realize that a correct view of history is the foundation for developing future-oriented bilateral relations.

Laying territorial claims to Dokdo, Hayashi had said Japan will respond sternly based on that stance.