S Korea, Japan strike deal to defuse isles row

Seoul, Apr 22: South Korea and Japan struck a deal today to defuse a standoff over desolate islands atthe centre of a bitter territorial dispute, an official said.

South Korea had warned of ''stern measures'' and a possible high-seas showdown if Japan pressed ahead with a plan to survey waters near the rocky islands called Tokto in Korean and Takeshima in Japanese and controlled by South Korea.

South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan was scheduled to speak to reporters on the result of two days of talks with his Japanese counterpart Shotaro Yachi at 1100 GMT.

Reuters