On July 7, 2025, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee voted against South Korea's proposal to reassess Japan's implementation of measures related to forced labor-linked industrial sites, including the Meiji Industrial Revolution sites and Gunkanjima (Battleship Island) in Nagasaki. South Korea sought an official review of Japan's compliance with promises made when these sites were registered as World Heritage. The vote marked an unprecedented direct confrontation between South Korea and Japan over historical issues linked to Japan's colonial-era forced labor. Following the vote, South Korea expressed regret and urged Japan to fulfill its commitments. The UNESCO committee supported Japan's position that the matter should be resolved bilaterally rather than through UNESCO. This outcome is expected to negatively impact South Korea-Japan relations. Subsequently, North Korea's Mount Kumgang was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, becoming North Korea's third such designation. On July 15, Japan's 2025 Defense White Paper reiterated claims that Dokdo (Takeshima) is Japanese territory, a position maintained for 21 years. South Korea strongly protested, summoning Japan's defense attaché and demanding immediate withdrawal of the claim. Additionally, Japan distributed a children's version of the Defense White Paper to elementary schools, asserting territorial claims over Dokdo, which South Korea condemned as an attempt to indoctrinate children. South Korea announced that if unresolved, it would seek UNESCO's involvement regarding the Gunkanjima follow-up measures. Meanwhile, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee is scheduled to hold discussions in Busan, South Korea, in July 2026, marking the first time South Korea hosts the event.