Mitsubishi Seizure Order Takes Effect Today... "Immediate Appeal Planned"

University Progressive Solidarity members are holding a press conference condemning the Japanese government for its lack of reflection on war crimes history in front of the Mitsubishi Seoul headquarters in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] From the 29th, the order to sell domestic assets of Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which has ignored compensation for forced labor victims during the Japanese colonial period, has become possible.

According to the legal community on this day, among the four seizure order decisions publicly delivered by the Daejeon District Court to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for handling the special monetization application case of trademark and patent rights filed by four victims and bereaved families of forced labor during the Japanese colonial period, two took effect on this day. The remaining two will take effect from midnight on the 30th, with the claim amount totaling 804 million KRW. Accordingly, the domestic courts have secured all legal grounds to proceed with the sale of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' domestic assets.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries expressed its intention to immediately appeal the asset seizure order by the Korean court. Local media such as Kyodo News and NHK reported that Mitsubishi Heavy Industries stated, "We understand that issues regarding claims between Korea and Japan, as well as between the peoples of both countries, have been completely and finally resolved by the Korea-Japan Claims Agreement, and no claims can be made." Mitsubishi also announced, "Based on the situation of (opinion) exchanges between governments, we plan to immediately appeal the seizure order."

If Mitsubishi immediately appeals the court's decision or order, the seizure order's effect will not be finalized, and legal disputes will continue.

Previously, five forced labor victims and their families filed a damages lawsuit against Mitsubishi Heavy Industries at the Gwangju District Court in October 2012, and in November 2018, the Supreme Court confirmed a ruling ordering the defendant to pay 100 million to 150 million KRW in consolation money per person to the plaintiffs. Subsequently, on March 22 of last year, the victims proceeded with the seizure of two trademark rights and six patent rights in Korea against Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which delayed the execution of the ruling, through the Daejeon District Court, and then applied for a sale order.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.