A Japanese newspaper reported that South Korea and Japan had made concessions over the UNESCO World Heritage registration of the Sado gold mines, agreeing not to use terms related to “forced labor” at an exhibition at the site.

According to Yomiuri Shimbun's report on Sunday, South Korea accepted Japan’s proposal that it would not use the term “forced labor” in the exhibition at the Sado mines, but instead include explanations about the harsh working conditions and the scope of Korean workers.

A foreign ministry official in Seoul flatly denied the report.

The Sado mines, a controversial site linked to wartime forced labor which included Koreans, was added to the World Heritage list on Saturday, after promises from Japan to display historical facts about the complex.

Takehiro Kano, Japan’s ambassador to UNESCO, did not mention that Koreans were used in forced labor in his remarks right after the UNESCO's inscription.

The Japanese diplomat simply said that he would "keep in mind" all relevant decisions adopted by the World Heritage Committee and Japan's promises regarding them.