Seoul, Nov 26 2024-
The South Korean government held its own ceremony in Japan to honour Korean forced labour victims from an old Japanese mine complex, after boycotting a Japan-hosted event over Tokyo’s apparent insincerity in delivering on its pledge to remember the victims.
Foreign ministry officials from Seoul and nine family members and relatives of the victims gathered at a site that used to be a lodging for Korean forced labourers, near the Sado gold and silver mines, on Sado Island, off Japan’s west coast, Yonhap news agency reported quoting the officials.
South Korean Ambassador to Japan Park Cheol-hee attended the event.
Monday’s ceremony came a day after South Korea boycotted a memorial organised by the regional Japanese government for Sado mine forced labourers, including Koreans, citing “disagreements” that could not be resolved between the two governments in time for the event.
“I bow my head and express my deepest condolences to the souls of the Korean workers who were forcibly mobilised to the Sado mine 80 years ago,” Park said in a memorial address.
“It is beyond our imagination to grasp how many nights you endured, holding on to the hope of returning to your beloved family and homeland… Behind the history of the Sado Mine lies the tears and sacrifices of these Korean workers, and we will never forget this,” Park said.
Park also extended his heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families, calling for the event to serve as “a true day of remembrance” for all Korean forced labour victims who suffered “unspeakable pain under harsh conditions.”
“We sincerely hope this memorial ceremony brings some comfort to the deceased workers and their bereaved families,” Park said.
“To make sure that the painful history 80 years ago is not forgotten, South Korea and Japan must commit to making genuine efforts together,” he added.
Japan voiced regret over South Korea boycotting its memorial event.
“It is regrettable that South Korea did not participate,” Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said in a press conference.
“We have worked closely with local authorities and maintained respectful communications with the South Korean government,” Hayashi said.
Announcing the decision just a day before the event, Seoul indicated that it had to do with the fact that Tokyo had decided to send a vice foreign minister who reportedly has a history of attending the Yasukuni Shrine honouring the war criminals from World War II to the event as the government representative.
The shrine, seen as a symbol of Japan’s militaristic past, has long been a source of tension, with South Korea strongly opposing visits or offerings made by Japanese government officials.
Akiko Ikuina, the Parliamentary Vice Minister, said in her memorial speech during Sunday’s event that “many people from the Korean Peninsula” worked at the mines. There was no mention of forced mobilisation for labour or Japan’s colonisation of Korea.
Regarding Ikuina’s attendance, Hayashi said the decision was made given her role in public relations, culture and Asia-Pacific affairs at the foreign ministry.
“We believe there were no issues with this decision,” he said.
South Korea’s memorial ceremony proceeded with a silent tribute and a wreath-laying for the victims.
On Sunday, the foreign ministry in Seoul said that holding the separate ceremony “reflects the government’s firm determination” and that it will not compromise with Japan on historical issues.
“Based on this principle, we will continue to strive to advance bilateral relations in a way that will serve the interests of both South Korea and Japan,” the ministry said.
Late Monday, the South Korean foreign ministry provided further details on its decision to boycott Sunday’s event, saying that Japan’s memorial address “fell short of the level agreed upon” between the two nations regarding the Sado mines’ UNESCO World Heritage inscription.
The statement marked the first time Seoul specifically pointed out Japan’s memorial ceremony failed to fully reflect Seoul’s position, thereby contradicting the spirit of the agreement between the two countries.
Also, it came after Japan’s Kyodo News issued a correction to its report on Ikuina’s visit to the Yasukuni Shrine in August 2022, underscoring Seoul’s decision was not limited to the controversy surrounding her visit to the Shrine. (Agency)
