Source 6 : Letter from KNMC Chair to Japan

Dear Sir/Madam,

This is a response to the message sent by Japan and forwarded to the Republic of Korea via email by the MoW Secretariat on August 2, wherein Japan stated its intention to maintain the contestations to two nominations by the Republic of Korea. Representing the National Committee for Memory of the World, Republic of Korea, I regret that my previous replies to the comments made by Japan transmitted via MoW Secretariat in June, did not resolve its concerns.

It is my interpretation that Paragraph 8.6.5.2.1 of MoW’s General Guidelines is not intended to allow a party to contest nominations from other parties indiscriminately, and that a contestation can be effective and sustainable only if the ‘other grounds’, based on which the contestations were made, are specified, with certain points of contention identified. Since Japan’s message does not disclose any point of contention, we are experiencing difficulties in figuring out to what points its contestations are directed. The committee I represent is ready and willing to provide information to address the concerns when they are clearly stated. Otherwise, however, this contestation should not be maintained any further in order to prevent the assessment process from being unnecessarily delayed. 

I greatly appreciate the remark by Japan that it does not intend to affect the overall relationship between our two neighboring countries. Nevertheless, I would like to express my serious apprehension that Japan’s claim may create an unnecessary misunderstanding among State Parties and set an unpleasant precedent in MoW activities, which could be interpreted to mean that a Member State is effectively able to use a power of veto in respect of the documentary heritage nominated by another Member State through the contestation process.

Sincerely yours,

Chair

National Committee for Memory of the World, Republic of Kore

 

Reference : Members of the IAC, Members of the RSC