1. The first Republic of Korea-Japan inter-governmental consultation on the latter country’s nomination for the inscription of sites of its Meiji industrial revolution on the world heritage list will take place in Tokyo, Japan, on May 22.

2. The bilateral consultation will come at the proposal of the ROK government, which was made at the recommendation of member states of the World Heritage Committee that the two countries seek a solution to the issue through dialogue and negotiations. The head delegates of the two countries to the meeting will be Ambassador for Cultural and UNESCO Affairs Choi Jong-moon and Director-General for Cultural Affairs Jun Shimmi of the ROK and Japanese Foreign Ministries, respectively.

◦ The ROK delegation will be composed of relevant officials of the Foreign Ministry, the Cultural Heritage Administration and the Embassy in Japan. The Japanese side will include those from the Foreign Ministry, the Cabinet Secretariat and the Agency for Cultural Affairs.

3. At the meeting, the ROK delegation will reiterate the ROK’s legitimate concern over Japan’s move to seek world heritage inscription of sites including those where a great number of Koreans were coerced into labor during Japan’s colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula. The officials will also urge the Japanese government to seek a solution to this issue with sincerity and seriousness.


* unofficial translation