Environment

South Korea Likely to Allow Sado Gold Mine’s World Heritage Site Registration After Discussions with Japan

Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
Doyu no Warito, a V-shaped split in a mountain, is part of the Sado gold mine complex in Sado, Niigata Prefecture. It was made by miners digging for gold ore by hand.

By Kazuki Koike / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

17:34 JST, July 26, 2024

SEOUL — An official at the South Korean Foreign Ministry said Friday they anticipated that the Sado gold mine complex in Sado, Niigata Prefecture, would be registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The remarks to reporters are believed to indicate South Korea’s decision to not oppose the registration at the World Heritage Committee session currently being held in India.

The official said the discussions between Japan and South Korea on the matter has entered the final stage and the gold mine complex is expected to be registered as a World Heritage site providing nothing extraordinary occurs. They said Japan promised to South Korea that the whole history of the gold mine would be reflected and took practical measures to do just that.

South Korea had previously opposed the registration, claiming Korean people were subjected to forced labor at the gold mine complex during World War II. Both Japan and South Korea belong to the 21 member countries of the World Heritage Committee at the current session, with their discussions regarding the mine complex drawing attention.

The International Council on Monuments and Sites, an advisory body to the UNESCO, in June gave the gold mine complex a “referral recommendation,” the second-highest recommendation after “inscription.” To improve the situation at the committee session, the Japanese government worked on measures, such as excluding some areas of the gold mine complex from the prospective site for World Heritage registration.