Seoul's support for UNESCO listing of Sado mines sparks backlash

Controversy has rekindled in South Korea over whether the government's decision to support Japan's bid for the UNESCO World Heritage listing of the Sado Island gold and silver mines will compel Tokyo to acknowledge the forced labor of Koreans there.

Among the criticisms is Japan's failure to recognize an estimated over 1,500 workers from the Korean Peninsula at the Sado mine as forced labor, as well as its omission of a museum featuring exhibitions on the Korean workers and the harsh, discriminatory treatment and abuse they faced from the UNESCO World Heritage site.

On Saturday, Takehiro Kano, ambassador and permanent delegate of Japan to UNESCO, stopped short of specifically recognizing that the workers from the Korean Peninsula were forced to work or worked against their will.

Instead, Kano said in his remarks that "Requisition" beginning in September 1944 obliged workers there to engage in tasks in the mines of Sado Island, and violators were imprisoned or fined. He also said "a higher percentage of" workers from the Korean Peninsula did dangerous tasks inside the mine shafts such as rock drilling, shoring and hauling, and that workers from the Korea Peninsula worked 28 days on average every month.

Moreover, the museum, which began exhibiting the harsh working conditions of workers from the Korean Peninsula, is located in the Sakashita area within the Aikawa-Kamimachi district, meaning it is not included in the UNESCO World Heritage site listing.

In Korea, a backlash has ensued over such lingering concerns.

"The exhibition venue is located 2 kilometers away from the Sado Island Gold Mine and it failed to describe (Korean workers) as 'forced labor.' We have again been stabbed in the back," said Rep. Kang Yu-jung, floor spokesperson of the Democratic Party of Korea, in a statement Sunday.

Korea has had bitter experiences in this regard, being unable to hold Japan accountable for failing to honor similar commitments, such as those made when 23 sites from Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution were registered on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2015.

The Japanese government promised to raise public awareness about the forced labor of Koreans and others under harsh conditions at certain industrial heritage sites, including Hashima Island, also known as Battleship Island, in the 1930s and 1940s. But many commitments went unfulfilled including establishing an information center or informational panels to educate the public about this forced mobilization.

Rep. Hwang Jung-a, another Democratic Party spokesperson, pointed out Japan's failed commitments on Friday.

"Shouldn't we first verify the fulfillment of the Hashima Island promise before seeking any new commitments from Japan?" she said.

The ministry dismissed these concerns, asserting that the location of the exhibition "has only a minimal impact on both the presentation of the exhibits on Korean workers and the accessibility for tourists."

It, however, acknowledged that Korea lacks the leverage to compel Japan to fulfill its commitments if Japan chooses not to honor them.

"Since UNESCO is not the UN Security Council, there are no sanctions or penalties if Japan does not comply with this decision. Therefore, Japan's commitment to implementation is the most crucial factor," a Foreign Ministry official stated Friday, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Burying the hatchet

South Korea approved the UNESCO World Heritage Committee's decision in New Delhi, India, in exchange for Japan's commitment to operate exhibitions portraying the reality of Korean forced labor at the Sado mines and to hold annual memorial ceremonies honoring the Korean workers, with Japanese officials in attendance.

Japan's pursuit of a World Heritage listing for the mines has faced resistance in South Korea since it surfaced in 2010.

Critics accuse Japan of deliberately omitting historical details regarding the forced mobilization of Koreans to work there.

In its proposal for UNESCO recognition, Tokyo focused on the mine’s operations during the Edo period (1603-1867), excluding any reference to the Japanese occupation of the Korean Peninsula (1910-1945).

However, the Seoul and Tokyo governments have buried the hatchet, with the Japanese government taking prior actions before securing UNESCO World Heritage status, the Foreign Ministry in Seoul explained in a statement.

Korea could have pushed for a vote on the listing of the Sado mines, which would have required the approval of a two-thirds majority, as one of the 21 rotating members of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. However, it chose to follow the customary consensus approach instead.

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul told reporters Saturday during a foreign ministers' meeting in Vientiane, Laos, that he expected Japan to "continue to demonstrate its commitment faithfully" to its follow-up measures, such as the annual memorial event for the workers, through close communication with South Korea's government.

Cho added Saturday's outcome stems from Seoul's "joint effort with Tokyo based on consensus, rather than confrontation."

The ruling People Power Party lawmakers who are members of the foreign affairs and unification committee at the National Assembly said they acknowledged "Japan's practical actions to address the whole history of the Sado Island gold mines" in a statement issued Saturday.

The lawmakers also hailed Japan's promise to "remember all the workers" including those from the Korean Peninsula as an outcome of the government's future-oriented effort, adding such effort to improve the bilateral ties with Tokyo has led to "Japan's acceptance of South Korea's demand."