S. Korea Slams Japan for Overlooking Forced Labor at Gold Mine Memorial

(MENAFN) South Korea lodged a formal protest against Japan on Sunday following the latter’s failure to mention the forced labor of Koreans during a Saturday ceremony commemorating victims linked to a war-era gold mine in Japan, according to multiple media reports.

An unnamed South Korean presidential official emphasized that the memorial service should fully reflect its "purpose and nature," underscoring Seoul’s stance that the event’s content and format must be consistent with this principle. The official added that South Korea will maintain dialogue with Tokyo based on this position.

The official recognized that although no satisfactory resolution was reached this year, **Seoul** remains dedicated to cultivating mutual trust and understanding. The official emphasized that fostering the right conditions—by confronting the past while advancing toward the future—would enhance the quality of cooperation, particularly on historical matters.

This annual ceremony, first held last year, was established following South Korea’s agreement to list the “Sado Island Gold Mines” — a site linked to forced Korean labor during wartime — as a UNESCO World Heritage site in July 2024.

Similar to the previous year, South Korea boycotted the memorial service in protest of Japan’s refusal to include a recognition of the forced labor of Koreans in the official memorial speech.

South Korean historians estimate that thousands of Koreans were compelled by Imperial Japan to perform grueling labor at the gold mine on Sado Island, which was converted during World War II to produce war materials while Korea was under Japanese colonial rule. The mine ceased operations in 1989.

South Korea plans to conduct a separate memorial ceremony with the victims’ families, although the exact date has not yet been set.

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