South Korea forced labour victim gets 'compensation' from Japan firm, lawyer says (updated)

Kanadevia

20/02/2024 09:42

(Adds Japan government comment in paragraph 10)
    By Jack Kim
       SEOUL, Feb 20 (Reuters) - The family of a South Korean
man forced to work for a Japanese company during Japan's
1910-1945 occupation has received money from the Japanese firm
he worked for, marking the first time a forced labour victim has
secured such funds in a legal case.
    South Korea's Supreme Court has upheld a series of rulings
ordering Japanese firms to compensate its citizens who were
forced to work for them, drawing protests from Japan, though the
Japanese firms have refused to pay the compensation. 
    Tokyo says the rulings for compensation violate diplomatic
agreements aimed at resolving the issue.
    The family of the South Korean, who died in 2019 and was
identified only by his surname Lee, received a deposit of 60
million won ($44,800) from Hitachi Zosen  7004.T , the family
lawyer said on Tuesday.
    Lawyer Lee Min, who described the money as "compensation",
said it was the first case in which money was paid by a Japanese
company to a forced labour victim.
    Hitachi Zosen, a major heavy machinery and engineering
company, deposited the money with the court pending the outcome
of the case.
    A spokesperson for Hitachi Zosen said it was "extremely
regrettable" that the court released the money to the family.
    In December, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the Lee
family after it had sought 50 million won plus interest.
    The Supreme Court has also ruled for the victims or their
families in cases brought against companies such as Mitsubishi
Heavy Industries  7011.T  and Nippon Steel Corp  5401.T . None
of these firms have said they accept the ruling or paid.
    The Japanese government said the payout violates a key part
of a 1965 treaty establishing diplomatic ties between the
countries. 
    The issue of wartime forced labour and Korean women forced
to work at Japanese military brothels have long soured ties
between the neighbours and continue to complicate efforts to
improve relations.  
    The Lee family had been seeking compensation directly from
the Japanese companies despite a decision by President Yoon Suk
Yeol, who has been trying to mend ties with Tokyo, to create a
foundation funded by South Korean companies to compensate them. 
    The decision to set up a foundation drew a backlash from
some victims and critics who accused the Yoon government of
capitulating to Japan. 
    Tokyo welcomed the move and said while Japanese firms would
not be expected to pay into the fund they could donate to it if
they wanted.
    The Supreme Court has also ruled that the labourers' right
to reparation was not terminated by the 1965 treaty that Tokyo
says settled the matter of forced labour and wartime sex abuse.
     
    ($1 = 1,337.9900 won)

 (Reporting by Jack Kim in Seoul and Kantaro Komiya and
Chang-Ran Kim in Tokyo; Editing by Ed Davies, Michael Perry and
Christian Schmollinger)
 ((jack.kim@thomsonreuters.com; +822 6936 1455;))