Seoul National University MinGyoHyup: "Yoon's Solution Bill Lacks Even Minimal Respect for Forced Mobilization Victims"

The Seoul National University Professors' Association for Democracy (hereinafter MinGyohyeop) issued a statement criticizing the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's solution to the Japanese forced labor ruling (third-party compensation).

At around 11 a.m. on the 14th, MinGyohyeop held a press conference and announced a statement titled "The Yoon Seok-yeol government should withdraw its humiliating and dangerous solution related to the forced labor ruling" at the annex building of the Kwanjeong Library at Seoul National University. On the 6th, the government announced a final plan for compensation for victims of Japanese forced labor, in which a foundation funded by domestic companies, without the participation of Japanese companies, would pay the court-ordered damages and delayed interest to the victims who received a confirmed Supreme Court ruling.

MinGyohyeop criticized the Yoon administration's solution as a decision that overturns the Supreme Court's ruling. MinGyohyeop stated, "Since there is no mention of responsibility of the Japanese companies involved or any demand for enforcement of the ruling, this is a decision that blatantly tramples on the Supreme Court's ruling," adding, "Respect for the authority of the judiciary, the principle of separation of powers, and constitutional order has disappeared." They further added, "As shown by the opposition of the surviving plaintiffs, this is a unilateral solution that lacks even the minimum respect for the victims."

MinGyohyeop also argued that the solution contradicts the position taken by the Liberty Korea Party, the predecessor of the People Power Party, at the time of the Supreme Court ruling. MinGyohyeop said, "Even the Liberty Korea Party welcomed the Supreme Court ruling in 2018, stating in a commentary that 'the rights of forced labor victims are being remedied and it is an opportunity to set history right, hoping for a change in Japan's attitude,'" and added, "The proposals made by Na Kyung-won, then floor leader of the Liberty Korea Party, and Ha Tae-kyung of the Bareunmirae Party included content holding the Japanese defendant companies responsible."

MinGyohyeop further claimed that the Yoon administration's solution is a choice that stokes political and military tensions, putting security on the Korean Peninsula at risk. MinGyohyeop stated, "The current government, under the prejudice that all responsibility for the deterioration of Korea-Japan relations lies with the Moon administration, has declared the Korean Peninsula peace process a complete failure and made a strategic choice to strengthen security cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan," adding, "This turns its back on the recognition held by previous governments and civil society that the establishment of a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula can only be smoothly realized within the framework of a Northeast Asian peace regime including Japan." They also added that the Yoon administration's solution "ignores not only the international community but also Japan's healthy civil society, surrendering to the positions of Japan's far-right forces and political circles."

Finally, MinGyohyeop demanded that the Yoon administration withdraw the announced solution, respect the Supreme Court's ruling, and persuade and pressure the Japanese government and companies to change their policies. MinGyohyeop said, "The Yoon administration should listen to public criticism even now and follow the international human rights norms of victim-centered problem solving."

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