The Korea Herald

피터빈트

Japan TV pulls Korean drama over Dokdo spat

By Korea Herald

Published : Aug. 15, 2012 - 20:13

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TOKYO (AFP) ― A Japanese television station said Wednesday it was postponing the airing of a South Korean drama series starring an actor who took part in a swim to a group of islands at the center of a territorial row.

BS Nippon Corporation said it would replace “A Man Called God,” which features popular actor Song Il-kook and was to due air from next week, with a re-run of another South Korean drama series.

“We have decided to change our programming after considering the impact of the main actor swimming to Takeshima,” a station spokeswoman said, referring to Dokdo.

A team of South Koreans reached the islands on Wednesday, finishing a 220-kilometer (135-mile) relay swim from the east coast, less than a week after President Lee Myung-bak visited the disputed chain, provoking ire in Tokyo.

The team led by singer Kim Jang-hoon completed the swim to mark South Korea’s Liberation Day, which commemorates the 1945 end of Japan’s occupation of the peninsula.