Regarding the government’s announcement of a solution for compensation for victims of forced labor in Japan through a third-party reimbursement method, the victims’ representatives and support groups stated that “it is to exempt companies responsible for forced labor in Japan from judicial responsibility.”
The Research Center for Ethnic Studies, an organization that supports victims of forced labor, criticized this at the Colonial History Museum on the 6th, saying, “It nullifies the 2018 Supreme Court ruling that recognized the illegality of colonial rule and the responsibility for compensation for the inhumane and illegal acts of war criminal companies.” did.
The institute said, “The South Korean government has to admit its diplomatic failures on its own,” and “a humiliating solution without an apology from Japan or a financial burden.”
Nevertheless, if the victims agree to the government’s solution, the institute announced that it will proceed with the process of extinguishing (abandoning) the bond after consulting with the Korean government and the Foundation for Supporting Victims of Forced Mobilization by Japan.
Regarding the victims who do not agree to the solution, the institute said, “The government cannot unilaterally extinguish the bonds through deposits, etc.” We will proceed with the procedure to confirm the invalidity of the
Regarding the reimbursement plan for victims of forced labor, the government said on the same day, “The ‘Support Foundation for Victims of Forced Mobilization under Japanese Occupation’ under the Korean government has decided to pay the judgment and delayed interest to the plaintiffs of the 2018 Supreme Court decision.” This is a ‘third party reimbursement’ method in which Korean and Japanese business groups collect funds to compensate victims without the participation of Japanese companies.
In 2018, 15 victims received a final judgment on compensation from the Supreme Court, and the judgment to be paid to them is known to be about 4 billion won, including interest for delay.
The support foundation is expected to raise funds by receiving contributions from Korean beneficiaries of the 1965 Korea-Japan Claims Settlement Agreement, such as POSCO.
The direct apology that the victims wanted was not made. Instead, the Japanese government expressed its intention to inherit the Korea-Japan Joint Declaration (Kim Dae-jung-Obuchi Joint Declaration) announced in October 1998, which contained deep remorse and heartfelt apology for colonial rule.
Officials from the Justice and Memory Solidarity (Jeong Eui-yeon) and Gyeore Hana, who protest every Wednesday in front of the Japanese embassy to resolve the comfort women issue, said, “The faces of the grandmothers who have not yet received a proper apology are overlapping.” Yang Geum-deok, a victim of forced labor under Japanese colonial rule, said, “There are people who have done wrong and there are people to apologize for, but I don’t think it should be resolved (by a three-way reimbursement method).”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.