South Korea to Skip Japan Sado Mine Memorial for Third Straight Year Over Forced Labor Dispute
For the third consecutive year, the South Korean government has decided to skip the memorial ceremony for wartime forced laborers at the Sado Mine hosted by Japan, according to the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs on September 9. Citing an unresolved dispute over how to characterize the coercive mobilization of Korean workers during Japanese colonial rule, Seoul will instead hold a separate, domestic commemoration.
Diplomatic Impasse Over the Sado Mine Memorial Address
The diplomatic friction centers on the phrasing of the memorial address for the upcoming ceremony scheduled for September 12 in Sado City, Niigata Prefecture. According to the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, bilateral consultations broke down because the two nations failed to reach a mutual agreement on key issues, specifically regarding whether the coercive nature of Korean labor mobilization would be adequately reflected.
A source from Japan’s Foreign Ministry confirmed to Kyodo News that the gap between the two governments regarding the memorial address content remains unbridled. Consequently, the South Korean government notified Tokyo of its boycott just one day prior to the Ministry’s public announcement.
This ongoing disagreement casts a long shadow over bilateral accords established when the Sado Mine complex was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in July 2024. At that time, Japan made a commitment to South Korea to ensure that the “entire history” of the site—including the wartime forced mobilization of more than 1,500 Koreans between 1910 and 1945—would be reflected in its interpretation and exhibition strategies.
Unfulfilled UNESCO Recommendations and Historical Context
South Korea’s decision not to attend builds upon identical boycotts in 2024 and 2025. In both prior instances, Seoul bypassed the Japanese-hosted events because the initial November 24, 2024 ceremony and subsequent iterations proceeded without adequately addressing historical grievances or including South Korean bereaved families and government officials.
The dispute gained renewed international scrutiny following the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee, held in Busan in July. The committee adopted a formal decision assessing that while Japan had made “some progress” in implementing recommendations to present the comprehensive history of the gold mine—which supplied critical wartime materials during the Pacific War—the efforts remain insufficient.
In its official statement, the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged Japan to “fully and faithfully implement the recommendations made in the relevant decision of the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee.” Meanwhile, officials in Seoul confirmed that preparations are underway to hold a separate domestic memorial service later in the year to honor the victims.
Resolving Historical and Cross-Border Disputes
As the diplomatic freeze enters its third year with no immediate resolution in sight for the memorial address wording, both governments remain at an impasse over how to honor the past while meeting international heritage standards.
