Efforts Underway To Prevent Wartime Labor Case From Hurting Japan - S.korea Ties
Tuesday marks one year since a South Korean district court allowed the liquidation of a Japanese firm's assets in a wartime labor case. It was the first such ruling, and efforts are still underway to prevent the case from further hurting relations between Japan and South Korea.
The district court in Daejeon decided last September that part of the assets, including patents and trademarks, that Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries holds in South Korea, could be liquidated.
This followed a 2018 Supreme Court ruling ordering the Japanese manufacturer to compensate South Koreans who say they or their relatives were forced to work for the firm in harsh conditions during World War Two.
Deliberations at South Korea's top court have been underway since Mitsubishi Heavy Industries appealed the district court's decision.
Meanwhile, South Korea's foreign ministry has so far held four rounds of public and private consultative meetings as part of efforts to stop the liquidation of the Japanese firm's assets. One of the proposals under consideration was for an existing foundation in South Korea to shoulder compensation to the plaintiffs on the company's behalf.
It remains to be seen how the South Korean government will act in response to proposals from the consultative body.
On Monday, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said he will push to normalize bilateral ties whatever hardships lie ahead.