A network of gold and silver mines on the Japanese island of Sado has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Japan has long sought to have the mines listed on UNESCO's list because they used old craftsmanship when others switched to mechanized mining, but has until now been met with resistance from South Korea.
The neighboring country's opposition is based on the fact that Japan, during World War II, when it occupied the Korean Peninsula, used Korean forced laborers to maintain the mining operations.
The South Korean archaeologist Han Kyung-Koo, who is an advisor to the South Korean UNESCO delegation, says that he does not oppose the listing of the mines, provided that their history is fully explained to visitors, reports The Japan Times.
The mines are believed to have been in operation as early as the 12th century and were in operation until after World War II.
Sado's mines, which are a popular tourist attraction, are now Japan's 26th World Heritage site.
