South Korea Holds Third Separate Memorial for Sado Mine Forced Labor Victims

Memorial held separately for third year

The South Korean government held a separate memorial service on November 13 on Sado Island, Niigata Prefecture, Japan, for Korean victims of forced labor at the Sado Mine. This marks the third consecutive year that South Korea has held the memorial ceremony separately.

South Korean Ambassador to Japan Lee Hyuk attended as the government's representative, accompanied by other officials and nine family members of the victims.

Addresses and statements

Lee said in his address: "Many Korean laborers were mobilized against their will and forced to work here on Sado Island through methods such as recruitment, government mediation, and conscription under the involvement of the Japanese Government-General of Korea during the colonial period. We remember the hardships and sorrow of the deceased, who endured harsh labor and poor living conditions, and convey our sincere condolences."

He added: "Reflecting on the past pain here today and sharing our condolences will deepen our empathy and healing, and it will be an opportunity for everyone to fully understand the entire history of the Sado Mine as a World Heritage site."

Choi Jae-sik, a representative of the bereaved families, said: "My father was taken to the dark and deep tunnels of the Sado Mine in his youth, before reaching the age of 20. Only after my father's death did I learn about the dark traces of his suffering."

Background and disagreement

According to South Korean media, during World War II, Japan forcibly conscripted about 1,500 laborers from the Korean Peninsula to engage in arduous labor at this gold mine. Due to harsh working conditions and severe oppression, many laborers later died from pneumoconiosis and other diseases.

The mines were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in July 2024. During the designation process, Japan secured South Korea's support after pledging to reflect the site's full history and hold an annual memorial service for workers.

However, plans for a joint memorial service broke down in 2024 when Japan declined to include language explicitly acknowledging the coercive nature of Korean labor mobilization in its memorial address. The dispute continued in 2025, when South Korea again declined to attend the Japanese-organized ceremony, saying Tokyo's memorial remarks failed to clearly acknowledge the forced labor.

Japan held its own memorial ceremony Oct. 12, with a Foreign Ministry director-general serving as its government representative. The South Korean government did not attend due to the failure to reach an agreement on the wording of the address.

Why it matters

The two governments continued discussions this year but were unable to resolve the central disagreement. As a result, the countries have not held a single joint memorial service since the agreement associated with the mines' World Heritage designation. In July, UNESCO's World Heritage Committee evaluated Japan's measures to explain and display the entire history as insufficient and demanded improvements. The Japanese government must report the implementation status of improvements to the Sado Mine exhibition facility to UNESCO by December 1, 2027.

Sources

• chinanews.com.cn (in Chinese): South Korean government holds Sado Gold Mine labor victim memorial ceremony for third consecutive year - China News Service
• upi.com: South Korea holds separate memorial for Sado mine victims - UPI.com
• chosun.com: South Korea Holds Third Separate Memorial for Forced Labor Victims

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.