A group of citizens held a protest rally here Monday to denounce Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara's remarks last week that the Korean people "chose" to be subject to Japanese colonial rule in 1910.
Dozens of people gathered outside the Japanese Embassy to demand an apology from Ishihara. They also requested that the South Korean government take measures to prohibit Ishihara from entering the country.
The protesters said the "rightwing" and "absurd" remarks are an incorrect perception of Japan's 1910-1945 colonial rule.
On Oct. 28 in Tokyo, Ishihara said, "The annexation was made with an agreement of the nations worldwide, and (the Korean people) had to choose between Russia, 'Shina' or Japan, and they decided to seek help from (the Japanese), who had the same facial color as their own."
"Shina," a derogatory Japanese word for China, was often used before and during World War II.