Japan summons South Korean Ambassador to Japan... Protests over receipt of deposit for forced labor victims

The Japanese government summoned Yoon Deok-min, the South Korean ambassador to Japan, to protest the payment of Hitachi Chosun's court deposit to victims of forced mobilization during the Japanese colonial period.

On the 21st, Yoshimasa Hayashi, Chief Cabinet Secretary and spokesperson for the Japanese government, revealed this information during a regular press conference.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to Minister Hayashi, Masataka Okano, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, described the payment of the deposit as "imposing unfair disadvantages on Japanese companies based on a ruling that clearly violates Article 2 of the Korea-Japan Claims Agreement" and expressed "extreme regret."

Article 2 of the Korea-Japan Claims Agreement, signed in 1965, confirms that claims are completely and finally settled.

In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "The Hitachi Chosun case involves a deposit made by the defendant company during the trial process, and we understand that the deposit was paid out according to procedures stipulated by relevant laws," refraining from making a specific evaluation of the payment.

The day before, the side of Mr. Lee, a victim of forced mobilization by Hitachi Chosun, announced that the Seoul Central District Court had paid out the 60 million won deposited by the company after the company requested a suspension of compulsory execution.

Mr. Lee's side received a final Supreme Court ruling in December last year awarding 50 million won in damages and delayed interest compensation for forced mobilization damages. Subsequently, they followed related procedures to secure the money deposited by Hitachi Chosun in the domestic court. The lawyers stated that this is the first case of a forced mobilization victim receiving funds from a Japanese company.

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