'Forced Labor' Sado Mine in Japan Registered as UNESCO World Heritage Site

Japan: "Exhibits Related to Joseonin Laborers Already Installed"

The Sado Mine in Japan, a forced labor site of Koreans during the Japanese colonial period, has been registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The 46th UNESCO World Heritage Committee, held in New Delhi, India, decided on the 27th to register the Sado Mine as a World Heritage site by consensus (unanimous agreement), following Japan's application.

Japan stated that it accepted the demand to "reflect the entire history" and has already installed exhibits related to Korean workers and others at the site.

The newly installed exhibits by Japan are located at the Aikawa Local Museum in the Kitazawa area, about 2 km away, a 5-minute drive from the Sado Mine.

[Photo by Ministry of Foreign Affairs]

On the second floor of the museum, in a section named "Life of Mine Workers Including Those from the Korean Peninsula," there is a space explaining the harsh working conditions of Korean workers at the Sado Mine and displaying related historical materials.

The exhibition facility will be open to the public starting from the 28th. This space will be introduced as a separate section in the local museum's brochure, and a guide sign will be installed at the site of the Korean workers' dormitory.

Japan plans to hold a memorial service for the Sado Mine workers annually on Sado Island, attended by officials from central and local governments. The first event this year is expected to be held as early as September.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.