Japan recovers 23rd place in the remains of war dead... “During the battle, Koreans were mobilized to the Japanese army.”

A civic group that is working to repatriate the remains of victims who were forcibly mobilized during the Japanese colonial period is asking the government to confirm whether Korean victims were included in the remains of war dead recently recovered from Ioshima, Japan.

The civic group 'Jangsaeng (Josei) Coal Mine Victims' Return Promotion Team' announced on the 7th that it plans to send a public inquiry containing the same content to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Administration and Security.

Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare announced on the 4th that it had received the 23rd remains of war dead recovered from Iwo Jima.

Iwo Jima is an island located halfway between Japan and Guam. It became famous in 1945 when a photo was taken showing the U.S. military occupying the island and raising the American flag after a fierce battle with the Japanese army.

The promotion team claimed that a significant number of Korean nationals were mobilized to the Japanese army during the Battle of Iwo Jima, and that there is a possibility that their remains may remain on site.

At the same time, the Korean government requested that Japan disclose whether it had officially confirmed whether the remains of Korean victims were among the 23rd most recovered remains.

In addition, they asked to confirm whether the Japanese government is conducting DNA analysis or identity and nationality verification procedures for the remains, and whether they are comparing them with the list of Korean victims.

Furthermore, if the remains of presumed Koreans are confirmed, they were asked whether they would be willing to use the Korean government's list of forcibly mobilized victims and the DNA data of their bereaved families to confirm their identity.

The promotion team linked the recovery of remains from Ioshima and the remains of victims from the Josei Coal Mine and urged the Korean government to demand a more active response from Japan.

Attorney Choi Bong-tae, head of the promotion team, emphasized to Yonhap News, "The Korean government must actively check whether there are Korean victims among the recovered remains and responsibly pursue identification and repatriation of the bereaved families."

He continued, “This Iwo Jima incident is an important issue that is directly connected to the issue of the remains of victims of the Josei Coal Mine,” and urged the government to respond quickly.