This article is by Seo Ji-eun, Park Hyun-ju and read by an artificial voice.



The first memorial service for Korean wartime forced laborers at Japan's Sado Mines, promised during the site's Unesco World Heritage registration, took place Sunday without South Korean officials present.

The memorial, which was originally expected to address ongoing strain in Korea-Japan relations related to such historical grievances, was relegated to being a half-complete ceremony. While some 60 people participated, around 40 seats remained vacant.

The Korean boycott stemmed from Japan's controversial choice to send Akiko Ikuina, parliamentary vice minister of Japan's Foreign Ministry, who visited the controversial Yasukuni Shrine, which many view as a symbol of Japan's militaristic past, as its government representative. The delegation plans to hold a separate memorial ceremony on Monday in response to the perceived diplomatic snub.

The ceremony, organized by a Japanese committee, took place at 1 p.m. at the Aikawa Development Center on the western side of Sado Island. Japanese officials, including Ikuina, Niigata Prefecture Governor Hideyo Hanazumi and Sado Mayor Ryugo Watanabe, were in attendance.



Ikuina, delivering the keynote address, mentioned the hardships faced by Korean laborers during the war, stating they'd worked "in dangerous and harsh conditions, far from their families." However, there was no acknowledgment of forced labor or an apology. Instead, the governor emphasized the mines' World Heritage value as a site shaped by the "dedication of workers in harsh environments."

Ikuina had previously visited the Yasukuni Shrine in 2022. The shrine honors class A war criminals, making her participation contentious for an event meant to honor victims of Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule over Korea.

Critics in Korea deemed Ikuina's involvement inappropriate.

"If Japan had shown just a little sincerity by sending a representative without controversial ties, this issue wouldn't have escalated," said Lee Won-deog, a professor of Japanese studies at Kookmin University. He added, "South Korea has often taken a magnanimous approach on historical issues, but Japan's repeated actions feel like a betrayal, which makes it regretful."

Tensions over the memorial had been brewing, with disputes between the two governments over its title, schedule and participants. The Korean foreign ministry announced its withdrawal just the day before, citing the fact that "the two countries have not come to a mutual agreement on matters surrounding the memorial service due to a lack of time" on Saturday.

The memorial was part of commitments Japan had made during a Unesco World Heritage Committee meeting in July, during which the Sado Mines were recognized as a World Cultural Heritage site. As part of the agreement, Japan agreed to hold annual memorial services and install exhibits about forced labor at a nearby museum. Sunday's event was the first to take place under the agreement, and the Korean government agreed to cover travel expenses for bereaved Korean families, but there was uncertainty about whether its speeches would meaningfully acknowledge Korean forced laborers.

"It's better that the Korean government to avoid setting a flawed precedent by not attending the event," said Jung Hye-kyung, a researcher at the Study Group of Japanese Forced Mobilization and Peace. She also urged Korea to push Unesco for stricter oversight and advocate for permanent memorial spaces.

In response, nine Korean bereaved family members, along with Korean Ambassador to Japan Park Cheol-hee, plan to hold their own memorial service at 9 a.m. on Monday. The ceremony will take place at the site of Dormitory No. 4, which once housed Korean laborers at the Sado Mines.

"The decision to hold our own independent memorial service Monday reflects our government's firm resolve not to compromise with Japan on historical issues," the Korean Foreign Ministry said Sunday evening.

"Based on this princip...