"Half" Sado Mine Memorial Ceremony...Japan "Working in harsh environments"

Sado Mine's First Memorial Ceremony...Held a 'half-way' to boycott South Korea
Japanese government representative controversially as far-right politician in history
Participation of officials from local governments and civic groups in Japan

[Anchor]
A "half-way" memorial service was held at Sado Mine in Niigata Prefecture, Japan, the site of forced labor for Koreans in Japanese colonial era, with only the Japanese side attending amid the discord between Korea and Japan.

The Japanese side said the Korean workers were in harsh working conditions and expressed condolences for all workers, but did not mention an apology.

I'm connecting you to a local correspondent.

Correspondent Kim Se-ho!

[Reporter]
Yes. This is Sado City, Japan.

[Anchor]
I'm sure you've watched today's event in person, so please tell me the details.

[Reporter]
From 1 p.m. today, the "Sado Mine Memorial Ceremony" was held for about 40 minutes at the Aikawa Development Center in Sado City, west of Sado Island, Japan, with only Japanese officials attending.

It was originally scheduled to be held in the presence of Korean bereaved families and officials from the Korean and Japanese governments, but

The Korean government declared its absence yesterday, a day before the event, by taking issue with the Japanese representative.

The move comes after the Japanese government sent Akiko Ikuina, a foreign affairs official with a history of visiting Yasukuni shrine, as a representative.

The event was attended by the governor of Niigata Prefecture, the mayor of Sado City, and personnel from private organizations, as well as Ikuina, a political officer.

Due to the absence of the bereaved family and Korean government officials, the venue was half empty as the vacancy was not filled.

Japanese government representative Akiko Ikuina said in his eulogy that workers from the Korean Peninsula also worked hard in dangerous and harsh conditions.

He then expressed his sincere respect for the hard work of his ancestors until the listing of Sado Mine as a World Heritage Site and expressed his condolences to all who died.

However, when asked about the apology to the organizers of the Japanese memorial service for Korean workers,

He stressed that everything is already included in the expression of mourning.

While most of the eulogy also weighs in on the history and meaning of the Sado mine,
It seems difficult to avoid criticism that it is a memorial service that is only a formality because there is no expression of forced labor or a clear expression of apology for
.

Nine bereaved families of forced labor victims who arrived in Japan yesterday to attend the memorial service and Ambassador Park Chul-hee to Japan are expected to hold their own memorial service soon and inspect the Sado mine facility.

[Anchor]
The Japanese government responded that it was regrettable that our government decided not to attend?

[Reporter]
Yes, it is.

In a statement distributed through the Japanese Embassy in Korea, the Japanese government responded that it was regrettable that the Korean government was absent.

The Japanese government said it has continued to communicate respectfully between the two governments while cooperating with local officials who are the organizers of the memorial ceremony, adding that it would be regrettable if South Korea does not attend the memorial ceremony in this situation.

Local media reported that embarrassment spread within the Japanese government and local communities at the news of the Korean government's absence a day before the event.

Local media reported that there was a view within the Japanese government that the issue should not be prolonged apart from South Korea's decision to not attend.

When the Sado mine was listed as a World Heritage Site in July, the Japanese government promised to set up exhibits on forced labor and hold an annual worker memorial event to obtain consent from Korea.

However, there was no expression of "forcedness" in the exhibits, and Korea and Japan have been at odds over the schedule, name, and central government participants.

So far, I'm Kim Se-ho from Sado, Japan.