The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_X_on_2023.svgbt_X_over_2023.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_X_on_2023.svgbt_X_over_2023.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Korea to expand visa benefits to accelerate inbound tourism

  • 3

    'Moon gov't neglected, concealed North's killing of S. Korean official'

  • 5

    Photo of Samsung chief's playful pose goes viral

  • 7

    Seoul awards honorary citizenship to outstanding foreign residents

  • 9

    China's Xi warns top EU officials not to engage in 'confrontation'

  • 11

    K-dramas, beauty, food to maintain popularity on TikTok in 2024

  • 13

    Major hospitals struggle to recruit pediatricians

  • 15

    Why Korean shoppers flock to Chinese e-commerce sites

  • 17

    NYT picks President Yoon, NewJeans among 71 'most stylish' people of 2023

  • 19

    Samsung to unveil AI-powered lifestyle vision at CES 2024

  • 2

    Hotels grapple with chronic staff shortages

  • 4

    INTERVIEWMeet the man behind giant rubber ducks that once took over Seoul

  • 6

    Giant panda statue at Everland

  • 8

    CJ Olive Young fined 1.89 bil. won for unfair supply contracts

  • 10

    Padres' Kim Ha-seong files blackmail complaint against Korean player

  • 12

    'Soundtrack #2' tells classic yet realistic love story

  • 14

    SK reshuffles top management focusing on generational shift

  • 16

    Lawyer of Korean descent selected as chair of Dentons Global Board

  • 18

    Pro-Palestine protests in Seoul concern Israeli ambassador

  • 20

    INTERVIEW'Now is time for Koreans to unlock potential in Africa'

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Sat, December 9, 2023 | 21:21
Foreign Affairs
Consultative body for forced laborers faces murky future
Posted : 2022-07-05 16:35
Updated : 2022-07-06 13:58
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
The photo shows Hashima Island, left, known as Battleship Island in Korea, where it is believed between 500 and 800 Koreans were forced to work between 1943 and 1945, with 122 of them dying. Yonhap
The photo shows Hashima Island, left, known as Battleship Island in Korea, where it is believed between 500 and 800 Koreans were forced to work between 1943 and 1945, with 122 of them dying. Yonhap

By Kang Seung-woo

The Yoon Suk-yeol administration has begun full-fledged discussions with Japan to address the thorny issue of wartime forced labor by launching a public-private consultative body. But it remains to be seen if it will find a breakthrough in resolving the matter, which has been a major stumbling block in Korea-Japan relations.

On Monday, the government launched the 12-member body, comprised of government officials, experts and journalists as well as legal representatives of the victims and their families, and held an inaugural session, hoping to come up with solutions to normalize bilateral ties by the end of next month.

In October and November of 2018, Korea's Supreme Court issued separate rulings ordering Japanese companies found guilty of exploiting forced labor during WW II to compensate surviving Korean victims of wartime forced labor. But the Japanese side has refused to pay them. As a result, the Korean victims filed lawsuits to liquidate their assets here and got the nod from local courts. But the Japanese firms have appealed that ruling. The companies are Nippon Steel and Sumitomo Metal, renamed Nippon Steel, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

The discussion comes as the Supreme Court's final call is expected to come next month, although the Japanese government continues to insist that the Korean government proposes answers to the forced labor issue. Tokyo is also calling on Seoul to offer solutions to the issue of Korean women who were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during WWII. Japan believes the two issues have already been resolved by bilateral agreements signed in 1965.

"The biggest sticking point for the consultative body in coming up with solutions is how to narrow the difference between Korea and Japan," said Choi Eun-mi, a researcher at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies.

"In addition, there are various ideas on how to resolve the issue, so the first barrier for the consultative body to tackle would be to coordinate diverse opinions."

Legal representatives who participated in Monday's meeting say the victims want the government to arrange direct negotiations between them and the Japanese companies over the issue.

"It is reasonable for the victims and the Japanese firms to meet each other and discuss the issue," the legal representative said ahead of the meeting.

"If a meeting is arranged, we plan to ask the judicial proceedings to be halted."

However, it would be a daunting task for the government to arrange such a meeting, because the Japanese side is poised not to respond, because of its stance that the 1965 normalization treaty between the two countries settled individual compensation issues and nothing further is owed.

It also remains to be seen if any proposals resulting from the consultative body's meetings will be legally binding.

A legal representative, who participated in the meeting, said the government failed to clarify whether the consultative body's goal is to come up with the government's proposal or to simply gather opinions and remained cautious about deciding to attend the next meeting, expected to take place later this month.



Emailksw@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
wooribank
LG group
Top 10 Stories
1Korea to expand visa benefits to accelerate inbound tourism Korea to expand visa benefits to accelerate inbound tourism
2Seoul awards honorary citizenship to outstanding foreign residentsSeoul awards honorary citizenship to outstanding foreign residents
3Will Korea avoid hard landing in housing market? Will Korea avoid hard landing in housing market?
4Seoul-Moscow ties likely stuck in limbo amid blame game Seoul-Moscow ties likely stuck in limbo amid blame game
5Why Korean shoppers flock to Chinese e-commerce sites Why Korean shoppers flock to Chinese e-commerce sites
6'12.12: The Day' goes strong at box office, attracts younger generation '12.12: The Day' goes strong at box office, attracts younger generation
7K-pop's appeal reflected in global accolades K-pop's appeal reflected in global accolades
8Hyundai Motor hires former US Ambassador to Korea Sung Kim as adviser Hyundai Motor hires former US Ambassador to Korea Sung Kim as adviser
9Justice minister challenges opposition leader in polls for potential next president Justice minister challenges opposition leader in polls for potential next president
10[INTERVIEW] Ex-NIS chief urges politicians to stop misusing spy agency INTERVIEWEx-NIS chief urges politicians to stop misusing spy agency
Top 5 Entertainment News
1'12.12: The Day' goes strong at box office, attracts younger generation '12.12: The Day' goes strong at box office, attracts younger generation
2K-pop's appeal reflected in global accolades K-pop's appeal reflected in global accolades
3[REVIEW] Musical 'Monte Cristo' returns with riveting tale of vengeance, love REVIEWMusical 'Monte Cristo' returns with riveting tale of vengeance, love
4[INTERVIEW] How AmazeVR revolutionizes aespa's LYNK-POP concert INTERVIEWHow AmazeVR revolutionizes aespa's LYNK-POP concert
5[INTERVIEW] Meet the man behind giant rubber ducks that once took over Seoul INTERVIEWMeet the man behind giant rubber ducks that once took over Seoul
DARKROOM
  • It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

    It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

  • 2023 Thanksgiving parade in NYC

    2023 Thanksgiving parade in NYC

  • Appreciation of autumn colors

    Appreciation of autumn colors

  • Our children deserve better

    Our children deserve better

  • Israel-Gaza conflict erupts into war

    Israel-Gaza conflict erupts into war

  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel: 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844
Date of registration: 2020.02.05
Masthead: The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group