For the first time this year, South Korea conducts a defense exercise on Dokdo.

[Global Times Special Correspondent in South Korea, Li Zhiyin] According to reports from South Korean media such as Yonhap News Agency and the Korea JoongAng Daily, the South Korean Navy conducted its first "East Sea Territorial Defense Exercise," also known as the Dokdo Defense Exercise, in the waters near Dokdo (referred to as "Takeshima" by Japan) on the 6th in a non-public manner. This is the third time the exercise has been held since the establishment of the Lee Jae-myung government, with the last training taking place about eight months ago. Notably, just two days prior, the Japanese government reiterated its territorial claims over Dokdo in the new version of its "Defense White Paper."

Reports indicate that the South Korean military stated that the purpose of this exercise is to respond to various threats against South Korean territory, citizens, and property, to defend national territorial integrity, and to ensure the safety of citizens' lives and property. The South Korean Navy, Coast Guard, and Dokdo Guard participated together, with the number of surface vessels, troop scale, and training methods being largely the same as in the past.

Despite the sensitive timing, the South Korean military characterized this exercise as routine training, stating that it was not specifically aimed at Japan's new "Defense White Paper." The South Korean military has conducted Dokdo defense exercises since 1986, typically holding them twice a year after 2003, but the scale and methods of the exercises often adjust according to changes in South Korea-Japan relations. In 2019, after Japan imposed export restrictions on South Korea due to a Supreme Court ruling on forced labor compensation, the South Korean military expanded the scale of the exercises, deploying Aegis destroyers and Army special operations forces for the first time.  

On the 4th, the Japanese government released its first "Defense White Paper" following the establishment of the cabinet led by Sanae Takaichi. South Korean media reported that the white paper refers to South Korea as an "important neighbor" in jointly addressing international issues, emphasizing the importance of security cooperation among South Korea, Japan, and the United States; on the other hand, it again claims that Dokdo is Japan's "inherent territory," stating that the "Takeshima territorial issue" remains unresolved, and marks Dokdo as "Takeshima" on multiple maps, even including the waters surrounding Dokdo within Japan's territorial sea. Reports indicate that this marks the 22nd consecutive year Japan has repeated these unreasonable claims in its "Defense White Paper." On the 4th, the South Korean government summoned officials from the Japanese embassy in South Korea and the defense attaché to lodge a formal protest.