President Lee Jae-myung and Japan Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi agreed to begin recovering the remains of Koreans and Japanese who died at the Chosei undersea coal mine.
After a summit with Prime Minister Takaichi in Nara Prefecture, Japan, on the 13th, President Lee said in a joint press statement released afterward, "In 1942, there was an accident in which 183 Koreans and Japanese drowned to death at the Chosei undersea coal mine in Ube, Japan," and "only in August last year, more than 80 years later, were remains first excavated."
President Lee said, "The two countries agreed to move forward with DNA testing to identify the remains, and to conduct working-level consultations between authorities on specific matters."
Prime Minister Takaichi also said, "We welcome progress in consultations between the two countries for DNA testing related to the remains found at the Chosei undersea coal mine."
President Lee said, "I find it truly meaningful that, on the occasion of this summit, we were able to achieve small but significant progress on historical issues."