Permanent Dokdo Exhibition to Open in Beijing

A permanent Dokdo exhibition will open at the Korea Center in downtown Beijing early next month to publicize Korea's sovereignty over the islets.

Korean overseas missions and cultural centers have distributed PR booklets on Dokdo, but this is the first permanent exhibition.

The move comes in response to the Japanese government's decision to intensify an international campaign to publicize its dubious colonial claim to the Korean islets.

The center in a statement on Sunday said construction is underway to renovate a 100 sq.m gallery on the third floor of the cultural center. It is to open in early March.

The exhibition will feature photos of the natural environment on Dokdo as well as ancient maps which show the islets belong to Korea. A video about the islets will also be played on a large screen.

Chinese and Korean captions will help visitors understand the intricacies of the questions surrounding the islets.

The cultural center opened in 2007 to mark the 15th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. About 80,000 Chinese people visit the center every year.