Government Requests UNESCO to Cancel Japan's Battleship Island World Heritage Designation

View of Battleship Island / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Saeng-hye] The government plans to send a letter this month under the name of Park Yang-woo, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, to UNESCO requesting the cancellation of the World Heritage designation for 23 Japanese modern industrial sites, including "Gunkanjima" (Hashima). This is in response to the Japanese government's failure to fulfill its promise to include the fact of forced labor in the Gunkanjima-related exhibition at the recently opened UNESCO Industrial Heritage Information Center.

According to Democratic Party lawmaker Jeon Yong-gi on the 21st, Minister Park and Cultural Heritage Administration Commissioner Jeong Jae-sook revealed this during a briefing for the Democratic Party members of the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee on the 18th.

Lawmaker Jeon stated, "Although this matter is already being handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I expressed the opinion that the Cultural Heritage Administration and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism should also push more strongly." Minister Park reportedly responded, "We plan to take strong measures such as sending letters separately from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."

Separately, Lawmaker Jeon plans to submit a resolution at the National Assembly urging UNESCO World Heritage Committee's recommendations regarding Japan's forced labor mobilization and the sincere implementation of follow-up measures promised by Japan.

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