[News Today] FEUD OVER SADO MINE LISTING

[LEAD]
At the first parliamentary committee meeting following the UNESCO listing of Japan's Sado mine, a known site of Korean forced labor, the opposition sharply criticized the government for "humiliating diplomacy." The Foreign Ministry responded by repeating that it had secured more advanced measures than previously achieved.

[REPORT]
A museum near Japan's Sado mine.

While displaying records related to Korean laborers, Japan failed to use the expression 'forced labor,' stirring controversy.

Korea's main opposition party blasted the government for agreeing to such a measure and consenting to Sado mine's listing as a UNESCO World Heritage site, calling it a diplomatic catastrophe.

Lee Jae-jung / Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee (DP)
I believe negotiations should have been suspended. It would have been better to
just tell the int'l community that Japan issued a bad check.

Cho Tae-yul / Minister of Foreign Affairs
Our goal should be leaving and accumulating records, not blindly opposing
UNESCO listings. I don't believe that helps national interest.

Some point out that compromising on historical issues will undermine cooperation between the two countries.

Wi Sung-lac / Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee (DP)
The president is too wary of what Japan thinks, and disregards history and public
opinion, and there are officials who implement such a policy.

The ruling party defended the foreign ministry's argument that Seoul was able to have Japan present measures that mark progress compared to the 2015 UNESCO listing of Hashima Island.

Kim Tae-ho / Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee (PPP)
Why do we need to hear commentary about humiliating diplomacy, historic
distortion and retrogressive measures?

Cho Tae-yul / Minister of Foreign Affairs
I believe it's unjust criticism. I did not abandon the 'forced' expression.

Kim Gunn / Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee (PPP)
The opposition looks most unhappy about the absence of the word 'forced'. Our
politicians should then exert efforts to fill that 5% gap.

National Assembly speaker Woo Won-shik who called for the disclosure of the negotiation process said the Korean people are sincerely hurt by the omission of the word 'forced labor' in the exhibits and that the government must provide a clear explanation.

As the foreign ministry is discussing follow-up measures with Japan such as holding a memorial service for forced laborers, five opposition lawmakers are set to visit the Sado mine on Thursday which marks Korea's Liberation Day and inspect the exhibition facility.