Cho Tae-yeol "expressed regret and concern to UNESCO...a sense of responsibility"

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yeol said he expressed regret and concern to UNESCO over the controversy over the Sado mine memorial ceremony.

Speaking at a plenary session of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, Minister Cho said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture, Public Affairs and Foreign Affairs met with UNESCO officials yesterday to explain the progress of the Sado mine memorial ceremony and express our regret and concern.

At the same time, he added that action has already been taken against Japan's failure to follow up on its promise at the time of Sado Mine's World Heritage listing, and that he will continue to review what additional things will be needed in the future.

In addition, he said that he felt responsible as the Minister of Foreign Affairs for failing to carry out our arguments in consultations with Japan regarding the Sado mine memorial service and being forced to decide not to attend the memorial service at the last minute.