Asian neighbors, South Korea and Japan continue strained relations due to their history.  

The South Korean government cancelled its participation in the memorial service for the workers of the gold mine on Sado Island held in Niigata Prefecture on November 24.  

South Korea initially opposed the World Heritage listing of the gold mine on the Sea of Japan island, noting that Korean laborers were forced to work at the mine, but later supported the site's registration after Japan agreed to hold a memorial service for all workers for the mine. 

The South Korean media pointed out that the Japanese government representative, Parliamentary Vice Foreign Minister Ikuina Akiko, had visited the Yasukuni Shrine on the End of War Day two years ago, and that this was considered problematic.  

However, as Ikuina denied the visit, Kyodo News apologized on the evening of November 25 and retracted an article reporting that Ikuina had visited the controversial shrine.  

Kyodo said that it was a factual error, adding that although there was a visual report, the verification was insufficient.  

In response, the South Korean government issued a statement on the same evening.  

It stated, “We have heard that Kyodo News issued a report correcting its past news that Ikuina had visited Yasukuni Shrine,” and “The South Korean government has decided not to participate in the memorial ceremony in consideration of various circumstances.”  

The statement went on to say that “the fact that the content of the memorial ceremony did not reach the level of the initial agreement was an important matter to be taken into consideration.