Sado Mine Decision Document May Be Adopted Today... Japan's Pledge to Address 'Entire History' Put to the Test Again

UNESCO: "Some progress, but not sufficient"

Calls for Korea-Japan consultations and further reporting

No mention of 'forced mobilization' in documents submitted by Japan

Implementation to be reviewed again in 2028

A decision document evaluating the follow-up measures after the inscription of Japan's Sado Mine, a site of forced mobilization of Koreans during the Japanese colonial era, as a UNESCO World Heritage site, is expected to be adopted as early as July 22 in Busan. UNESCO acknowledged that Japan has made some progress in the management of the heritage and improvement of exhibition facilities, but judged that it remains unclear whether the 'entire history' of the mine, including Korean workers, is sufficiently communicated at the site.

Sado Mine in Niigata Prefecture, Japan, a forced labor site of Koreans during the Japanese colonial period. Photo by Yonhap News

According to the National Heritage Administration and other sources on July 22, the 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, held at BEXCO in Busan, is scheduled to review the state of conservation of Sado Mine under agenda item 7B from this afternoon until the morning of July 24. If none of the 21 member states request a separate discussion or amendments, the disclosed decision draft is expected to be adopted by consensus. However, depending on the rate of deliberation on earlier items, discussions on Sado Mine may be postponed until after July 23.

The draft decision acknowledges that Japan has implemented most of the recommendations made at the time of World Heritage inscription, recognizing progress in management systems, conservation planning, and visitor management. However, regarding interpretation and exhibition, the draft points out, "Although additional measures have been introduced, further explanation is needed as to whether the entire history of the mine, covering all periods of development, is being comprehensively addressed on site." It also notes that the exhibition strategy for the full history "has shown some progress but is not yet fully developed," and recommends close consultation with relevant countries, including South Korea.

In the conservation status report submitted to UNESCO in December 2025, Japan stated that it had established an exhibition room on 'the lives of mine workers, including those originating from the Korean Peninsula,' at the Aikawa Local Museum on Sado Island. The exhibition includes content on the harsh working conditions and dangerous underground labor experienced by workers from the Korean Peninsula during wartime, records of labor disputes and fatal accidents, and the locations of dormitories and communal kitchens. Japan also reported that in addition to information boards in Japanese and English, multilingual descriptions—including Korean—are provided.

However, the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), and the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) assessed that aside from mentions of workers from the Korean Peninsula at the Aikawa Local Museum, there is insufficient information to determine how effectively the entire history of the mine is being conveyed across the site as a whole. Although the Japanese report and exhibition include descriptions of the mobilization process and working conditions for Koreans, they do not use explicit expressions such as 'forced mobilization' or 'forced labor.' These terms do not appear directly in the current draft decision either.

Sado Mine was inscribed as a World Heritage site at the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee held in New Delhi, India, in July 2024. The core value recognized for World Heritage status is the Edo-period (17th to mid-19th century) non-mechanized mining and smelting technologies, but the committee recommended that on-site exhibitions address the mine's entire history, including the subsequent modern and wartime periods. At that time, the Japanese government also pledged to address the full history, including workers from the Korean Peninsula, and to consult closely with South Korea. It also promised to hold annual memorial services on site for all workers.

Relatives of Korean forced labor victims at Sado Mine are listening to an explanation of the facilities inside the mine after a memorial service held at the site of the Korean dormitory at Sado Mine in Niigata Prefecture, Japan, in November 2024. Photo by Yonhap News.

During the inscription process, the recommendation issued by ICOMOS was 'information request,' which calls for additional information, not 'defer,' which would postpone the inscription for a longer period. Based on exhibition improvements and consultations with South Korea, Japan subsequently secured the unanimous consent of the committee members. The Korean government also agreed to the inscription, on the condition that Japan faithfully implements the recommendations to reflect the entire history and its own pledges.

However, differences between South Korea and Japan became apparent starting from the first memorial service after inscription in 2024. When Japan’s memorial remarks did not include clear references to the forced mobilization of Korean workers or to colonial rule, the South Korean government and bereaved families boycotted the Japanese-hosted event and held a separate memorial service. Local media also reported that the exhibit on Korean workers at the Aikawa Local Museum remained largely unchanged, still omitting any explicit mention of forced labor.

According to related studies and materials from Mitsubishi Mining, at least 1,519 Koreans were mobilized to work at Sado Mine from 1939 to 1945. Records from Sado Mining Works in 1943 indicate that 82% of drilling crew and 78.6% of workers responsible for supporting tunnels to prevent collapses were Korean. Domestic and international researchers have analyzed that Koreans were concentrated in hazardous underground jobs and worked under discrimination and strict control.

If the decision document is adopted, Japan will be required to continue reporting to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre on improvements in exhibitions and interpretations. Japan must submit a new conservation status report by December 1, 2027, and implementation will be reviewed again at the 50th session of the World Heritage Committee in 2028. The adoption of this decision document is not a final endorsement of Japan’s fulfillment of its promises; rather, it is an interim review that specifies deficiencies and sets a deadline for further improvements.

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