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Recently, the Japanese government re-applied to UNESCO to register Niigata Prefecture's Sado Gold Mine as a UNESCO World Heritage site. In response, Professor Seo sent a letter to UNESCO Secretary-General Audrey Azoulay, informing them of the historical facts about Japan's Sado Gold Mine.
In the letter, Professor Suh said, "The Japanese government has been criticized for limiting the target period of the heritage to the Edo period from the 16th to the mid-19th century and deliberately excluding Korean forced labor." He argued that this act turned against the "whole history" of the heritage and that it violated UNESCO's universal values.
In particular, Professor Seo said, "In 2015, when the Japanese government had Gunkanjima and other places registered as World Heritage Sites, many Koreans and other citizens were mobilized against their will and labored under harsh conditions." He went on to say that "We promised to make it possible to understand the entire history of each facility." He continued, "Until now, we haven't fulfilled that promise, but this is exactly what Japan should be like."
Also attached to this letter is the result of last year's "Signature Against UNESCO World Heritage Sado Gold Mine in Japan,'' in which about 100,000 internet users from South Korea and various countries participated. It was also sent to representatives of the World Heritage Center Director, about 190 member countries of UNESCO, 21 member countries of the World Heritage Committee, and all member countries of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS).
Professor Seo said, "We will continue to inform the international community of the historical truth of forced labor at the Sado Gold Mine through advertising in the world's most influential media about the Sado Gold Mine, multilingual video production, and worldwide distribution."
2023/02/04 09:18 KST
