South Korea has requested a review by UNESCO on whether it is possible to remove Japanese Meiji-era industrial sites from the World Heritage list for distorted historical facts.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Kim In-chul said in a Tuesday briefing that the government has also asked for cooperation and support so the World Heritage Committee can adopt a statement urging Japan to faithfully implement follow-up measures.

Kim said South Korea will seek all possible measures for Tokyo to follow through with the steps it promised to take, and also continue diplomatic efforts to raise awareness of this issue with World Heritage Committee members.

The latest move comes as Japan failed to acknowledge at a newly opened information center in Tokyo that the 23 Meiji-era industrial sites utilized wartime forced labor.

Upon listing the sites with UNESCO in 2015, Tokyo pledged to establish the center to remember these victims.