Korea to hold solo commemoration for Korean victims of Sado mine forced labor next week
Published: 13 Nov. 2025, 15:56
![This file photo taken Sept. 13 shows Japanese officials holding a memorial ceremony commemorating the workers from the Sado mine complex during World War II on Sado Island, Niigata Prefecture in Japan. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/13/8df25f1f-f995-4be3-95c7-46fd08d1c9ce.jpg)
This file photo taken Sept. 13 shows Japanese officials holding a memorial ceremony commemorating the workers from the Sado mine complex during World War II on Sado Island, Niigata Prefecture in Japan. [YONHAP]
Korea will hold its own memorial ceremony next week to honor Korean victims forced into labor at a Japanese mine complex during Japan's colonial rule over Korea, the foreign ministry said Thursday.
This year's memorial, set for next Friday, is the second such event Korea is hosting separately from the one organized by Japan as Seoul and Tokyo could not come to an agreement on ways to hold a joint ceremony.
Korea boycotted the event hosted by Japan last year, citing Japan's lack of sincerity in honoring the victims, including its apparent rejection to reflect their sufferings and the nature of forced labor in the memorial speech.
The Korea-led memorial event will take place in the Sado city, Niigata Prefecture, led by Korean Ambassador to Japan Lee Hyuk, the foreign ministry said in a release.
The government will invite family members of the victims to the event, which will be followed by visits to former forced labor sites in remembrance of the victims, the ministry said.
Japan has pledged to hold the memorial event annually when the Sado mines were inscribed as a Unesco World Heritage site in July 2024.
The Sado mines, once famous as a gold mine between the 17th and 19th centuries, were mainly used to produce war supplies for the Japanese imperial army during World War II. More than 1,500 Koreans are reported to have been forced into labor at the mines from 1940-45.
Japan held its own Sado memorial ceremony in September.
Yonhap
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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