The head of a domestic history research foundation has expressed regrets and disappointment over Japan’s claims to South Korea’s easternmost islets of Dokdo in its revised textbooks.

Chung Jae-jeong, President of the Northeast Asian History Foundation, told a news briefing on Thursday that it is regrettable that Japan has not changed a bit since Seoul expressed deep concerns in 2008 over Japan’s release of a similar guideline for middle school textbooks.

He expressed disappointment with Japanese officials, politicians and scholars who still seek to glorify Japan’s colonial rule of Korea. He also said it is worrisome that Japan violated its own regulation that states Japan will be considerate of other countries when describing history.

The president said the latest incident shows that Japan has not changed at all even though Koreans have become more forgiving and generous to Japan.

Chung said that his foundation will actively inform people at home and abroad about Japan’s illegal claims and boost research and data collection on the islets.