The decision came after Tokyo announced that Akiko Ikuina, a parliamentary vice minister with a history of visiting the controversial Yasukuni Shrine, would represent the government at the event.
Seoul expressed concerns about Ikuina's appointment, citing her association with the shrine, which honors convicted war criminals. The South Korean government believes this undermines the sincerity of the memorial and could upset the families of Korean victims who were planning to attend.
Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul stated that South Korea will hold a separate memorial event for the Korean victims in Japan. While emphasizing the importance of maintaining positive bilateral relations, he stressed that South Korea will not allow single issues to disrupt the overall trajectory of the relationship.
Japan had pledged to hold the memorial ceremony as a condition for South Korea's approval of the mine site's UNESCO World Heritage designation. However, the recent developments have strained the bilateral relationship and cast doubt on Japan's commitment to honoring the victims.
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