Lee Hyo-jin covers the Bank of Korea, the banking industry and broader financial news. Her previous beats include foreign affairs, North Korea and general reporting on Korean society.
Korea's diplomacy put to test as Japan pushes ahead with UNESCO bid for Sado mines
Korean Ambassador to Japan Yun Duk-min looks at a map inside the Sado gold mine in Niigata, Japan, Dec. 1, 2023. Courtesy of Korean Embassy in Japan
By Lee Hyo-jin
Seoul hints at opposing inscription if Tokyo fails to include wartime forced labor history in nomination letter
Korea's diplomatic abilities will face a critical test in the coming weeks as Japan pushes to include the Sado mines — a contentious wartime site linked to forced labor of people including Koreans — on UNESCO's World Heritage list.
The final decision regarding the inscription will be made during the UNESCO World Heritage Committee (WHC) session in New Delhi, India, from July 21 to 23. The meeting will gather all 21 members of its rotating committee, which includes both Korea and Japan this year.
Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, Friday, that Korea may officially oppose the Sado mines' inclusion in the World Heritage list, unless Japan includes the history of forced labor in its nomination bid.
According to UNESCO guidelines, a property's inclusion on the World Heritage list requires a two-thirds majority vote from committee members present. However, decisions are typically reached through consensus, with formal voting only occurring when consensus cannot be achieved beforehand.
"Whether we will oppose it or not depends on Japan," a ministry official told reporters during a closed-door briefing.
"We are considering not obstructing a consensus formation if our position is reflected adequately. But if our stance is not acknowledged, we may potentially delay a consensus and push ahead with holding the vote," the official said.
In other words, Seoul would not categorically oppose Tokyo's bid for inscription on UNESCO's list unless it properly incorporates the mines' wartime history and forced labor in its submission letter to UNESCO.
The mines on the island of Sado were used for manufacturing war-related materials during World War II. Historical documents show that nearly 2,000 Koreans were forced to work there during Japan's colonial occupation of Korea from 1910 to 1945.
In its letter of recommendation submitted to UNESCO, the Japanese government described the mine as having value of its mining technology and system from the 16th century until the mid-19th century, effectively excluding its 20th-century wartime atrocity.
The Korean government has been demanding Japan include the full account of the mine's history, including the forced labor of Koreans.
A gold mine on the island of Sado / Korea Times file
With less than two months to go until UNESCO makes its final decision, the foreign ministry is actively engaging in negotiations with its Japanese counterpart, aiming to prevent the bilateral issue from affecting other UNESCO member states.
"Failure to resolve bilateral issues through dialogue, which could potentially lead to confrontational situations, could undermine the overall practices and atmosphere of the UNESCO WHC," the ministry official said, noting that both the Korean and Japanese governments are committed to reaching a consensus and avoiding the need for a vote.
Korea's diplomatic effort is expected to intensify as the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), a UNESCO advisory body, referred the nomination of the Sado mines, Thursday, requesting Japan to submit additional documents about the property.
ICOMOS, one of the three advisory bodies to the UNESCO WHC, plays a crucial role in the final decision-making process for inscription.
The evaluations conducted by the advisory body result in one of the four recommendations: inscription, if all requirements are met; referral, referring back to the state for additional information about the property; deferral, meaning that the nomination requires more in-depth assessment or study; and denial.
According to ICOMOS, reasons for referral could be associated with a lack of adequate definition of the property. But this decision is viewed as relatively encouraging to the applying state, as it may lead to quicker inscription compared to a deferral decision.
In 2023, all eight properties initially recommended for referral by the advisory body were ultimately inscribed in the final decision.
Following the referral decision, the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs announced "the Sado mine has been recognized as worthy of consideration for World Heritage inscription," expressing optimism about its inclusion in the upcoming July session, according to Kyodo News.