South Korea to Not Attend Japan’s Memorial Ceremony for Miners of Historic Gold Mine for 2nd Consecutive Year

By Seidai Fujihara / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

13:56 JST, September 5, 2025

SEOUL — South Korea told Japan on Thursday it will not attend the Sept. 13 memorial ceremony for the miners who worked in the Sado Island Gold Mines in Sado, Niigata Prefecture, according to sources close to the South Korean government.

South Korea will not attend the ceremony for the now-defunct mines, which were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2024, for the second year in a row.

The ceremony commemorates all the miners who worked in the mine, including those from the Korean Peninsula.

According to the sources, the South Korean government demanded that the mourning message at the ceremony properly put into words that the miners from the peninsula “were brought to the mine against their will and forced to work.” However, an agreement with Japan could not be reached.

The South Korean side did not attend the ceremony in November last year and held its own ceremony instead. The South Korean side said it will hold its own ceremony on the island again this autumn.

“We have been in close communication with the South Korean government, but I am not in a position to talk about the South Korean side’s decision, so I would like to refrain from making any comments,” said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi at a press conference on Thursday.