A delegation of South Korean lawmakers who visited Japan’s Sado Gold Mine in Niigata Prefecture has accused Japanese authorities of attempting to conceal the history of forced labor at the site. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Aug. 20 (Korea Bizwire) – A delegation of South Korean lawmakers who visited Japan’s Sado Gold Mine in Niigata Prefecture has accused Japanese authorities of attempting to conceal the history of forced labor at the site.
The five-member delegation, comprising representatives from the Democratic Party of Korea, the Transition Korea Party, and the Progressive Party, conducted a three-day inspection of the mine starting August 15.
Upon their return, they held a press conference at the National Assembly on August 19 to report their findings.
The lawmakers expressed disappointment with the Aikawa Folk Museum, which Japan claims provides a comprehensive historical record of the Sado Mine for its UNESCO World Heritage site application.
“The museum itself is small, and the exhibition area dedicated to ‘laborers from the Korean Peninsula’ is extremely cramped,” the delegation stated.
They noted that most exhibits were simply printed materials on makeshift display stands, with only one artifact — a wooden lunchbox of questionable authenticity — on display.
The lawmakers expressed disappointment with the Aikawa Folk Museum, which Japan claims provides a comprehensive historical record of the Sado Mine for its UNESCO World Heritage site application. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
The delegation’s attempts to engage with Japanese officials were rebuffed.
“We requested an official meeting with Japanese authorities and tried to deliver a written opinion requesting the disclosure of the list of Korean forced laborers, but Japanese officials refused the meeting without explanation and even rejected on-site acceptance of our written statement,” the lawmakers reported, expressing their frustration.
The group also visited the Tokyo Industrial Heritage Information Center, which purportedly exhibits the history of forced labor.
They found the center’s operations to be “closed and restrictive,” with a reservation system limiting daily visitors to 30 and a ban on photography.
“The exhibits distort and deny history, claiming, for instance, that Koreans were Japanese nationals until World War II,” the lawmakers noted.
Citing information from Arai Mari, a Sado City Council member who has been attentive to the issues surrounding Sado Mine workers, the delegation revealed that “Japanese authorities have never conducted a single investigation into the Korean forced laborers at Sado Mine.”
In light of their findings, the South Korean lawmakers are demanding that Japanese authorities accurately acknowledge the truth about the forced mobilization of Koreans, relocate the exhibition to a venue that can accommodate more visitors, and disclose the list of Korean laborers.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
