South Korea Holds Independent Memorial for Sado Mine Victims After Boycotting Japan-Led Event.

Tokyo: The South Korean government conducted its own memorial ceremony in Japan on Monday to honor Korean forced labor victims of the historical Sado mine, following a decision to boycott a Japan-hosted event. The boycott was attributed to Tokyo's perceived lack of sincerity in acknowledging and remembering the victims.According to Yonhap News Agency, the South Korean ceremony took place near the Sado gold and silver mines on Sado Island, with attendance from Seoul's foreign ministry officials and nine relatives of the victims. The event was held at a site that was once used to house Korean forced laborers. South Korean Ambassador to Japan, Park Cheol-hee, was also present at the ceremony.The ceremony was organized a day after South Korea chose not to participate in a memorial arranged by the regional Japanese government, citing unresolved disagreements between the two nations. Ambassador Park expressed his condolences during the memorial address, acknowledging the hardships endured by the Korean workers who were forcibly mobilized to the Sado mine 80 years ago.Park emphasized the significance of the ceremony as a "true day of remembrance" for all Korean forced labor victims, urging both South Korea and Japan to undertake genuine efforts to ensure that such painful history is not forgotten. The decision to boycott the Japan-led event was influenced by Tokyo's choice to send a vice foreign minister, who has previously attended the controversial Yasukuni Shrine, as the government representative.The Yasukuni Shrine, a contentious symbol of Japan's militaristic past, has been a longstanding point of tension between the two countries. Akiko Ikuina, Japan's parliamentary vice minister, made a speech during Sunday's event without acknowledging the forced labor element or Japan's colonization of Korea.South Korea's independent memorial included a silent tribute and a wreath-laying ceremony. On Sunday, Seoul's foreign ministry underscored that the separate ceremony was indicative of the government's unwavering s tance on historical issues, affirming its commitment to advancing bilateral relations with Japan in a manner that respects both nations' interests.