Overview

• Of 21 voting member states, seven backed Japan’s bid to close the agenda item, three supported South Korea, eight abstained and three ballots were invalid.
• Seoul had sought a formal review of Tokyo’s 2015 pledge to acknowledge the full history of Korean forced labor at Meiji-era sites such as Hashima Island.
• Japanese delegates argued they had faithfully implemented follow-up measures and said any remaining disputes should be addressed through bilateral channels.
• The South Korean Foreign Ministry expressed regret over the vote’s outcome and pledged to press Japan on its commitments in both bilateral and multilateral forums.
• The result casts doubt on whether the industrial heritage sites will undergo any future UNESCO evaluations, marking a setback in efforts to secure lasting oversight.