South Korea will not participate in Sado Gold Mine memorial ceremony... will hold ceremony independently on 25th = South Korean report

On the 24th, the South Korean government said that it would not participate in the Sado Gold Mine memorial ceremony hosted by Japan and would instead hold its own memorial event the following day (25th), in accordance with its policy of "not compromising with Japan on historical issues."
"This is an expression of the government's firm will," the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement to reporters on the same day, "Based on this principle, we will continue to make efforts to develop bilateral relations that are in the mutual interest of both Korea and Japan."
This is seen as a message that "despite Japan's diplomatic disrespect at the Sado Gold Mine memorial ceremony, the Korean government has once again demonstrated its intention to develop Korea-Japan relations."
The memorial ceremony held on this day on Sado Island in Niigata Prefecture was decided by the Japanese government to be held annually in Sado in order to obtain South Korea's consent when the Sado Gold Mine was registered as a World Cultural Heritage site at the UNESCO World Heritage Committee meeting last July.
The ceremony was held as promised. Originally, the Korean government and the bereaved families were supposed to attend the memorial service, but the past "visit to Yasukuni Shrine" by the representative of the Japanese government, Parliamentary Vice-Minister Akiko Ikuina, became an issue.
The two countries were unable to reconcile their differences, and decided not to participate in the event on the day before it was to be held. Meanwhile, the Korean authorities and nine bereaved families who had already arrived in Japan held a morning funeral near the Sado Gold Mine at 9 a.m. on the 25th.
A memorial service will be held at the former site of the Korean dormitory, and Park Chol-hee, the South Korean ambassador to Japan, is also scheduled to attend the event.