South Korean President Lee Myung- bak on Friday said he will continue working on bolstering the country's effective control over a set of disputed islets claimed by Japan. In a televised interview the President said South Korea has an effective control over the islets and that sets them apart from others. He said South Korea will continue working on strengthening their control over the islets called Dokdo in South Korea and Takeshima in Japan arguing against criticism that the government has been lackadaisical in responding to Japan's repeated claims. The remarks came after Japan passed a dozen new middle school textbooks describing the islets as part of its territory and claiming South Korea is illegally occupying them. Seoul demanded Tokyo withdraw the decision, saying the islets belong to South Korea historically, geographically and by international law.