[Unofficial translation from the Business and Human Rights Resource Center]

"The Sado Mine in Niigata Prefecture, Japan, where Koreans were forced to work during the Japanese colonial period, has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site without the phrase 'forced labour,' sparking controversy in Japan”, 31 July 2024

The Sado Mine in Niigata Prefecture, Japan, where Koreans were forced to work during the Japanese colonial period, has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site without the phrase "forced labor," sparking controversy in Japan. Critics argue that the negative aspects of history should be acknowledged.

...

…Due to the involvement of the Korean Governor-General's Office during the Japanese colonial era, more than 1,000 Korean workers were conveyed to Sado Mine during World War II under the National Mobilization Law, a fact that is included in the guidebook. However, the exhibition space, which was agreed upon by Japan and South Korea, was controversial because it did not include terms ‘forced’ like "forced labor" or "forced relocation(mobilization)."