Japanese embassy in South Korea tells companies not to pay reparations to victims

On Nov. 15, Kohei Murayama, minister of the Japanese embassy in South Korea, tells Japanese companies operating in South Korea that they are not obliged to respond to requests for compensation according to the South Korean Supreme Court ruling on past practices of forced labor by Japanese firms. (provided by the Japanese embassy in South Korea)

Meeting disclosed only to Japanese press followed by closed Q&A session

The Japanese embassy in South Korea held a briefing at its Public Information and Cultural Center in Seoul’s Jongno district on the morning of Nov. 15 to explain a recent South Korean Supreme Court ruling on compensation for past practices for forced mobilization and labor by Japanese businesses currently operating in South Korea.

In introductory remarks at the event, embassy minister Kohei Murayama stressed that the businesses are not obligated to respond to demands for compensation for forced conscription.

“As we have stated on numerous occasions, it is the consistent position of the Japanese government that [the issue of claims] was completely and finally resolved with the 1965 Claims Settlement Agreement between Japan and South Korea,” he said.

Murayama also said the Japanese government “views it as a priority to protect legitimate economic activity by Japanese businesses and plans to respond resolutely to that end,” adding that it would “work diligently toward a government-private sector linkage.”

Mentioning a Japanese Foreign Ministry’s statement last month declaring the ruling unacceptable, Murayama said the Japanese government was “watching now to see what concrete [action] is taken by the South Korean government.”

Materials distributed at the event included use of the term “issue of workers from the Korean Peninsula” – a watered-down form of “conscripted laborers” adopted according to Japanese government policy.

The event on Nov. 15 was reportedly attended by around 80 representatives from 70 Japanese businesses operating in South Korea. It remains unknown whether officials from companies directly involved in lawsuits concerning conscripted labor were present. The event was disclosed only to the Japanese press around 10 minutes before it began, and a subsequent Q&A session took place behind closed doors.

By Park Min-hee, staff reporter, and Cho Ki-weon, Tokyo correspondent

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