South Korea on Tuesday protested Japan's fresh claim to sovereignty over a pair of rocky islets in the Sea of Japan, which have been under South Korean control for decades, and called on it to "immediately cease its futile attempt."

The South Korean Foreign Ministry, in a statement issued after its Japanese counterpart reiterated Japan's claim in its annual "Diplomatic Bluebook" released earlier in the day, also said Japan "should realize that a correct recognition of history is the starting point and necessary condition" for bilateral relations.

It said the islets, which are known as Dokdo to South Koreans and Takeshima to Japanese, belong to South Korea historically, geographically and in terms of international law.

The two islets and small reefs around them have a combined area of only 0.21 sq. km and are situated roughly equidistant from the Korean Peninsula and Honshu.

South Korea and Japan have been contesting ownership over the islets since the early 1950s, which culminated in South Korea dispatching a permanent battalion there in 1954 and the latter accusing it of "illegally" occupying them.

South Korea has stationed security personnel there and constructed lodgings, a monitoring facility, a lighthouse, and port and docking facilities.