UNESCO Panel to Urge Japan to Reform Exhibits at Sado Gold Mines

Seoul, July 16 (Jiji Press)--The UNESCO World Heritage Committee has come up with a draft recommendation urging Japan to reform exhibits at gold mines on Sado Island in Niigata Prefecture in the central part of the country.

The draft, which has been released by Wednesday, was compiled based on South Korea's argument that people from the Korean Peninsula were forced to provide labor at the mining complex during World War II.

The Sado Island Gold Mines in the city of Sado were registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2024.

When it filed for registration, the Japanese government said that exhibits on the history of the mines during the periods from the late 16th century to the mid-19th century would be on display.

The South Korean government, which initially opposed the addition of the gold mines to the World Heritage list, eventually gave its consent on condition that a facility showcasing items related to the mine during the war be installed.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]