Sunday, tomorrow's first memorial ceremony for Sado mine...dispatch of Yasukuni worshipers

[Anchor]
The Japanese government has decided to have a vice-ministerial political officer from the Foreign Ministry attend the Sado mine memorial ceremony tomorrow (24th).

Akiko Ikuina, a political officer who will be dispatched this time, is a far-right figure with a history of worship in Yasukuni shrine, which is controversial.

Correspondent Kim Se-ho's report from Tokyo.

[Articles]
South Korea and Japan have been engaged in a tug-of-war over the level of government personnel to be sent to the Sado mine memorial service.

Two days before the memorial service, the Japanese government has decided to have Akiko Ikuina, a deputy foreign minister, attend.

Ikuina is well-known to the Japanese public as a member of the famous girl group 'Onyangko Club.'

However, shortly after he was elected to the upper house of the Liberal Democratic Party in 2022, he also visited Yasukuni shrine, where he held a memorial service for Class A war criminals in the Pacific War.

South Korea has also expressed its position that South Korea should make concessions on the conflict between South Korea and Japan over Japanese Military Sexual Slavery and forced conscription.

The memorial service was promised by Japan through an agreement with our country when the Sado mine was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July.

The biggest concern is whether Japan will offer an apology or expression of self-reflection for Korean workers at the memorial service.

However, the Japanese side seems to place weight on promoting the Sado mine as a World Heritage Site.

[Hazumi Hideyo / Niigata Prefecture Governor: I would like to express my feelings for all those involved who have raised Sado Mine to this point as a World Heritage Site.]

Moreover, the expression 'forced labor' cannot be found in exhibits related to Korean workers.

Although Japan keeps its promise through a memorial service, it is still questionable whether it will be an event that the bereaved families of Korean victims can understand.

I'm Kim Se-ho from YTN in Tokyo.