Seoul: South Korea on Thursday reiterated a demand that Japan should remove its "rising sun" naval flag from a warship participating in an international fleet review at Jeju island next week.
Many South Koreans associate the symbol with Japanese military aggression during World War II and have expressed anger over the potential display of the alleged "war-crime flag" during the October 10-14 event.
South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha on Thursday said Japan should be more considerate about how South Koreans remember its brutal colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula before the end of the war.
South Korea's navy has asked all 14 countries participating in the fleet review to display only their national flags and the South Korean flag on their vessels, a request apparently aimed at preventing the invited Japanese destroyer from flying the "kyokujitsuki."
The Foreign Ministry also conveyed Seoul's position to Tokyo through diplomatic channels.
But Japan has balked at the demand, with Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera saying last week that the ship's display of the red-and-white flag would be mandatory under Japan's laws.
The flag, portraying a red disc with 16 rays extending outward, has been used as the ensign of Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force since its launching in 1954.
When asked whether South Korea could raise the issue of Japan's usage of the flag with the United Nations, Kang said her ministry will review the "possible and appropriate options" before deciding whether to take stronger international action.