Seoul denies it asked Tokyo for forced labor memorial at Sado mines

The former gold mines on Sado Island off Niigata, northwest of Tokyo, is shown in this picture taken by Prof. Seo Kyoung-duk of Sungshin Women's University [SCREEN CAPTURE]

The Korean government refuted recent Japanese media reports alleging that it demanded the installation of a memorial facility for Korean forced laborers at the Sado mines, a site Japan is pushing to be listed as a Unesco World Heritage site.

The Sado mines in Niigata Prefecture in Japan, a complex primarily consisting of former gold mines, are linked to wartime atrocities where approximately 1,500 Koreans were forcibly mobilized for hard labor during World War II.

Japan is currently seeking Unesco World Heritage status for the site. Controversy arose, however, when its government limited the heritage timeline to the 16th to mid-19th centuries — excluding the 1910-45 Japanese colonial period and thereby circumventing the forced labor issue — in its bid.

"We understand that the installation of a memorial facility for Korean laborers, as reported recently by Japanese media, is just one of many ideas being discussed within Japan," a Korean Foreign Ministry official told reporters on Tuesday, speaking under the condition of anonymity.

Japan's Mainichi Shimbun reported on June 30, citing a Japanese official, that Korea was "requesting the installation of a memorial facility specifically for [people] from the Korean Peninsula", referring to forced labor victims.

The Sado mines issue was discussed during the Korea-Japan vice foreign ministers' strategic dialogue held in Tokyo on June 28.

"Serious and sincere consultations between Korea and Japan regarding the Sado mines are ongoing," the Korean Foreign Ministry official said. "Our position is clear that Japan needs to take measures to faithfully reflect the complete history, and we are explaining this to Japan. Japan is well aware of our stance."

The official added that specific issues have not been finalized or agreed upon.

The International Council on Monuments and Sites (Icomos), Unesco's World Cultural Heritage expert advisory body, recently recommended that Japan's nomination be "referred" for further explanations and additional data.

The final decision on listing the Sado mines as a World Heritage site will be made at the World Heritage Committee meeting, which is scheduled to be held from July 21 to 31 in India.

While the inscription decision requires a two-thirds majority of the 21 World Heritage Committee members, it is customary for the decision to be unanimous. Korea, a committee member, said it can oppose the listing if the full history of the Sado mines is not reflected.

BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]