The UNESCO World Heritage Committee concluded that the exhibition content for Japan's Sado Gold Mine did not sufficiently reflect the forced labor of Koreans during the Japanese colonial period. The committee recommended that Japan address "the whole history" comprehensively and included a provision calling for consultations with relevant countries. The Japanese government emphasized the absence of terms such as "forced labor" or "forced mobilization" in the decision, thereby avoiding addressing the fundamental issue. The Korean government argues that the history of forced labor of Koreans during the Japanese colonial period must be included in "the whole history." Japan is required to submit a compliance report by 2027 and the World Heritage Committee will review it in 2028.
