Relatives of Koreans forced to work at mines in Japan in the early 20th century and others on Nov. 25 pay their respects after laying wreaths at the site of the victims' dorms in the Japanese prefecture of Niigata. (Yonhap News)

By Gil Kyuyoung

The government has held a separate memorial service for Koreans forced to work in the early 20th century at a mining complex on Sado Island in Japan.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul said it held the event at the dormitories of such victims in Sado, a city in the Japanese prefecture of Niigata.

The some 30 people attending included nine relatives of the workers and Ambassador to Japan Park Cheol-hee. A eulogy started the event, followed by a moment of silence and wreath-laying ceremony.

In the eulogy, Ambassador Park said, "We bow our heads to the souls of the Koreans forced to work at the Sado mines about 80 years who suffered from exhaustion due to harsh labor. We pray that they rest in peace."

"Behind the history of the Sado mines were the tears and sacrifices of Korean laborers," he added. "Both Korea and Japan must strive to jointly ensure that this painful history is always remembered."

Seoul and the relatives of the victims had planned to attend a memorial service on Nov. 24 on the island hosted by the Japanese government, but backed out the day before. This was because Tokyo selected as its representative to the event Akiko Ikuina, parliamentary vice minister from Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs who sparked controversy in 2022 for visiting the Yasukuni Shrine, which honors Class A criminals of World War II.

The Tokyo-hosted service mentioned nothing about the Korean victims being forced to work and suffering discrimination, as well as not providing an apology or expression of regret

In July, the Sado mines, a site of forced labor during the Japanese colonial period, received designation as a UNESCO World Heritage after Japan pledged to hold annual memorial services to obtain Korea's consent.

On rejecting the Japan-led service, the ministry called it an "expression of the government's firm intent not to compromise with Japan on history."

gilkyuyoung@korea.kr