On Government Forced Mobilization Solution... "Pro-Japan Sunshine Policy" vs "Gyemyo National Humiliation"

The ruling and opposition parties showed starkly contrasting reactions to the South Korean government's solution to the forced labor issue with Japan, centered on the 'third-party payment method.' The ruling party emphasized its connection to the Kim Dae-jung administration, calling it part of a 'sunshine policy' toward Japan, while the opposition criticized it as a 'national humiliation in the year of the rabbit.'

Yoon Mi-hyang, an independent lawmaker formerly of the Democratic Party, criticized on June 7 on YTN's "News King Park Ji-hoon" that "this is not a magnanimous decision but a disregard for the victims, only catering to the perpetrators," adding, "It is nothing more than a surrender declaration where Korea, the victim, bows its head to Japan, the perpetrator."

Foreign Minister Park Jin is announcing a solution for compensation for forced labor victims during Japanese colonial rule on the 6th at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

She also reported that surviving victims of forced labor oppose the government's solution. In 2018, the Supreme Court ruled that Japanese companies must pay damages and delayed interest to 15 forced labor victims, of whom only three are still alive. Yoon said, "All three are currently opposed," and "What they want is an apology and a promise of compensation from the Japanese government, and for that to be fulfilled."

Democratic Party lawmaker Ahn Min-seok also said, "The government's denial of the Supreme Court ruling and abandonment of national sovereignty is an act of betrayal," adding "The answer is to have the Japanese war crime companies Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Nippon Steel compensate as ruled by the Supreme Court in 2018."

Referring to his visit last week to the 'Industrial Heritage Information Center' in Tokyo, he said, "There, promotional materials claim that there was no discrimination against Korean laborers, no forced mobilization, and that Japanese and Koreans worked together with one heart for the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere," adding, "It is the government's duty to protest such realities and to respect the rulings of the Korean Supreme Court."

Democratic Party lawmaker Woo Won-shik also said on KBS's "Choi Kyung-young's Strong Current Affairs," "The government's forced labor victim compensation solution, which proposes compensating victims with our own money, is truly the worst act of national interest damage in our diplomatic history," calling it "an absurd method."

However, the ruling party rebutted that the government's 'third-party payment' idea originated from former National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang, a Democrat. Jeong Jin-seok, emergency committee chairman of the People Power Party, said on KBS radio, "Do you think the third-party payment is our idea? It is the Democratic Party's idea and Moon Hee-sang's idea," adding, "We made a decision with the recognition that it is almost the last resort and final solution, so please correct and rectify such partisan and narrow views."

Regarding persuading victims, Chairman Jeong said, "There are victims over 90 years old now. They are also engaging in dialogue with remaining bereaved families. Of course, some oppose it, but many bereaved families are showing reactions that there is no other way and that they have no choice but to accept and agree to the government's solution."

Ha Tae-kyung, a People Power Party lawmaker on the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, acknowledged that "it may not align with our people's sentiments, but it is difficult to realize an ideal plan," while evaluating it as "a kind of Kim Dae-jung-style sunshine policy toward Japan." He said, "In Japan-South Korea relations, a sunshine policy approach first improves relations and then, over the mid to long term, aims to correct Japan's distorted historical awareness through trust with the Japanese people," adding, "The current international situation is not a leisurely time for us to be fighting both China and Japan."

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