Forced Labor Camps as World Heritage Sites?
- 9 years ago
Forced Labor Camps as World Heritage Sites?
On May 4th, a UNESCO advisory panel recommended the inscription of Japanese industrial revolution facilities into the list of World Heritage Sites. This news has led to uproar in Korea as 7 out of the 23 facilities on the nomination were forced labor camps for Korean laborers.Although the outrage is primarily directed as Japan’s intention to mask the sites of its wartime atrocities as sites of industrial modernization, there are those who also point to the failure of Korean diplomacy. Others say that the forced labor camps should be recognized as World Heritage Sites as reminders of the shameful history, just like Auschwitz Concentration Camp for Germany.In late June, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee will makes its final decision. If it gains 2/3 of the votes, the facilities will be inscribed. With a little more than a month to go, what measures should the Korean government and its people take?
On May 4th, a UNESCO advisory panel recommended the inscription of Japanese industrial revolution facilities into the list of World Heritage Sites. This news has led to uproar in Korea as 7 out of the 23 facilities on the nomination were forced labor camps for Korean laborers.Although the outrage is primarily directed as Japan’s intention to mask the sites of its wartime atrocities as sites of industrial modernization, there are those who also point to the failure of Korean diplomacy. Others say that the forced labor camps should be recognized as World Heritage Sites as reminders of the shameful history, just like Auschwitz Concentration Camp for Germany.In late June, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee will makes its final decision. If it gains 2/3 of the votes, the facilities will be inscribed. With a little more than a month to go, what measures should the Korean government and its people take?