Seoul's Foreign Ministry just turned up the heat on Tokyo, urging it to walk the walk on the UNESCO World Heritage Committee's decision and Japan's own commitments to tell the full story of Sado Island's gold mine – including the forced labor of Koreans during World War II ⚖️⛏️.
Back in July 2024, South Korea agreed to list the now-controversial gold mine as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In return, Japan promised to set up exhibits and information panels covering everything from the mine's engineering feats to the darker chapter when it supplied war materials and mobilized Korean laborers under colonial rule.
Fast-forward to December 2025, and Seoul says the forced labor narrative is basically M.I.A. at the site. With no mention of victims, visitors aren't getting the full picture – and that's not cool.
South Korean historians estimate thousands of Koreans were drafted into hard labor at Sado Island until the mine's closure in 1989, when its tunnels finally went quiet. Acknowledging this history is about more than plaques – it's about justice and memory.
What's next? Seoul will keep pressing Tokyo for follow-up measures and honest storytelling. For young explorers in South and Southeast Asia, this is a heads-up that heritage tourism isn't just about #wanderlust selfies – it's about digging deep into the stories that shape our shared world.
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S Korea urges Japan to fulfill commitments related to war-linked mine
cgtn.com
