Government Launches Follow-up Measures on Josaitan Mine... Efforts Underway to Identify Burial Sites

Analysis of Josaitan Mine Submersion Site Underway
South Korean and Japanese Leaders Pledge Cooperation on Identifying Recovered Remains
"Measures to Ensure Site Safety Being Implemented"
Calls for Joint Investigation Emerge... "Prompt Consultations Needed"

It has been confirmed that the government began taking follow-up measures immediately after the agreement between the South Korean and Japanese leaders on the recovery of remains from the Japanese Josaitan Mine. Although progress had stalled in excavating the remains and verifying identities due to the Japanese government's passive stance, additional working-level consultations, including joint DNA analysis by both countries, are now expected to accelerate.

According to government ministries on January 19, the Past Affairs Support Team under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, which oversees support work for victims of forced mobilization during the Japanese colonial period, has recently launched efforts to identify the Josaitan Mine submersion accident site and the burial locations of the victims.

Following the agreement between the South Korean and Japanese leaders on the recovery of remains from the Japanese Josaitan Mine, the government is taking follow-up measures. The photo shows President Lee Jae-myung and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi visiting Horyuji Temple, a representative cultural heritage site in Nara Prefecture, Japan, on the 14th. Photo by Yonhap News

The Josaitan Mine is an undersea coal mine located in Ube City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in western Honshu, Japan. On February 3, 1942, a flooding accident triggered by a tunnel water leak resulted in the deaths of 183 people, including 136 Koreans and 47 Japanese.

The recovery of the victims' remains was carried out by a Japanese civic group. Using funds raised through crowdfunding, the group conducted a diving investigation to recover the remains and, in August of last year, discovered four sets of human bones, including a skull, on the sea floor.

Although identification of the remains had been slow, on January 13, the leaders of South Korea and Japan agreed during their summit to cooperate on DNA analysis of these remains. The Japanese government is reportedly considering commissioning a specialized company to analyze whether the DNA from the remains is linked to Korean bereaved families, and is also reviewing the possibility of outsourcing part of the analysis to a Korean company.

The South Korean government has also begun follow-up measures. It plans to conduct a separate investigation into the burial locations of the victims and the internal structure of the undersea tunnels. Based on this, the government intends to analyze the mining process at the time and establish scenarios for the burial sites. A member of the support team explained, "Given that the recovery site is a hazardous underwater location, we believe it is essential to first assess safety in the process of investigating or excavating the remains."

Some observers suggest that the scope of the South Korean government's participation in working-level consultations following the leaders' agreement may be subject to adjustment. In fact, this study includes a proposal for a systematic approach, such as geological surveys and exploration methods, prior to the excavation of remains at the Josaitan Mine. In particular, the application of the latest exploration technologies to assess the current state of the underwater tunnels and to pinpoint the submersion locations is also being considered.

Relevant research institutions in South Korea are also calling for a joint investigation by the government. The Center for Historical Truth and Justice stated, "Based on this agreement, both governments should move swiftly to investigate and repatriate the remains of all forced labor victims."

It appears that, in addition to diplomatic authorities, the Past Affairs Support Team and Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare will continue their consultations. If blood relations are confirmed during the process of identifying the remains, the return of the bones to bereaved families is also anticipated. A government official commented, "Since remains have already been discovered at the site last year and further action is required, it is expected that working-level consultations between the authorities will proceed quickly."