The Defense Ministry says the police should continue to be stationed on the Dokdo islets as they are now. This follows calls raised during a Sunday government meeting that the Marine Corps should replace them.

A ministry official said there's no legal or administrative problem to stationing armed forces there, but the existing police force is sufficiently keeping order and the military is ready to take action if needed.

He said a military presence on Dokdo could further heighten tensions with Japan and result in the recognition of Dokdo as a conflict zone under international law.