The decision was made after Japan gave its consent to host the exhibits showing the hardships Korean workers had endured after their work in mines during World War II.
Controversy, cultural importance
Japan had first nominated the gold mines on Sado Island for World Cultural Heritage status in 2022. The inclusion of the mines had sparked controversy, given their alleged controversial history that included forced labor amid the Japanese occupation of Korea.
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The agreement to include the monument on the prestigious list is seen as a gesture to correct past mistakes and develop relations between Japan and South Korea. To rebuild ties, Sado Island will now hold an annual memorial service in honour of workers who worked in the mines.
Heritage and tourist attraction
Sado Island’s gold mines are not only historically significant, but also a major tourist attraction. Visitors can observe traditional mining techniques that were once used to extract gold and other important metals. The Kirarium Sado site, also known as the gold and silver mine guidance center, allows tourists to interact with an important koban coin that highlights the island’s historical riches.
Sado Island Mines
Sado Island is home to around 50 different mines, including the Aikawa-Tsurushi Gold and Silver Mine, the Doyu-no-Warito Open Pit Mine, the Nishimikawa Placer Gold Mine and the Tsurushi Silver Mine. The Aikawa Gold and Silver Mine is the largest of these, stretching 400 kilometers.
Mining activities were halted in 1989 and the site was opened to the public as a historic site on the Sado Gold Mine Tourist Route. For over 400 years, Sado Island was one of the largest producers of gold, cementing its place in mining history.
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