S. Korea Seeks to Protect Families of Sado Mine Victims at Japan Memorial.

Seoul: South Korea is actively working to prevent any emotional distress for the families of Korean forced labor victims during their participation at an upcoming memorial event in Japan, a foreign ministry official stated on Thursday. The official's remarks come amidst growing concerns in Seoul about challenging negotiations with Tokyo concerning the preparations for the memorial ceremony scheduled for Sunday. The South Korean government has been hesitant to reveal details about the event's proceedings.According to Yonhap News Agency, Japan announced on Wednesday that the ceremony would be held on Sado Island, located off Japan's west coast. This fulfills Japan's commitment to honor the victims who were subjected to forced labor at the mine complex during Japan's colonial rule of Korea. The ceremony is a condition for South Korea's acceptance of the site's designation as a UNESCO World Heritage site. However, the absence of specific information about the ceremony's arrangements has led to skepticism in Sou th Korea about Japan's commitment to genuinely commemorate the victims.Eleven family members of the Korean victims plan to attend the event. A South Korean foreign ministry official expressed the importance of avoiding any scenario where the bereaved families are emotionally affected. The official mentioned ongoing consultations with Japan, without providing further details. With only three days left until the ceremony, neither South Korea nor Japan has disclosed which government representatives will be present. Seoul has requested the attendance of a senior Japanese government official, possibly at the vice minister level. The South Korean government has not announced any specifics regarding the memorial address.Hideyo Hanazumi, the governor of Niigata Prefecture, which is organizing the ceremony, indicated that the event would focus on "reporting" the site's UNESCO World Heritage listing to the public, as per local news reports. This has further fueled doubts about Japan's sincerity. South Korean foreig n ministry spokesperson Lee Jae-woong emphasized in a press briefing on Thursday that consultations with the Japanese government are ongoing to ensure the ceremony is conducted sincerely.