"The Foreign Ministry's Statement Crushed Our Trust" Victims of Forced Labor under Japanese Occupation to Boycott Public-Private Consultative Group

On July 4, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun-dong presided over the first meeting of a public-private consultative group to discuss compensation for victims of forced labor under Japanese occupation. Legal representatives and supporters of the victims who attended the meeting hold a press conference announcing their position in front of the foreign ministry building in Doryeom-dong, Seoul this afternoon. Yonhap News

The legal representatives and organization supporting the victims of forced labor under Japanese occupation which had been taking part in a public-private consultative body to discuss ways to compensate the victims announced that they would no longer take part in the consultative group. They argued that the foreign ministry submitting its opinion to the Supreme Court was an act that shattered the trust relationship. Discussions in the government-civilian consultative body are likely to be disrupted or suspended, so an early resolution of the issue of forced labor does not seem likely.

The support group for victims of forced labor by Nippon Steel, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Nachi-Fujikoshi and their legal representatives held a press conference in front of the foreign ministry building in Jongno-gu, Seoul on August 3 and said, “The written opinion was submitted without any prior discussions with or notice to the victims,” and argued, “It is a serious act that restricts the victims from actually exercising their rights.” They said that the government of the Republic of Korea submitted a statement practically asking the Supreme Court to “withhold judgment,” and argued, “They violated the right to a speedy trial, guaranteed by the Constitution.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that on July 26, they delivered a written opinion stating, “We are engaging in diverse diplomatic efforts to resolve the issue,” to the Supreme Court, currently hearing the case of Yang Geum-deok and Kim Seong-ju, elderly women who were victims of forced labor at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and the order to liquidate trademark rights and patents. The foreign ministry stressed the fact that they were seeking a diplomatic solution in what seems like an attempt to block the liquidation of assets seized from the Japanese company to prevent South Korea-Japan ties from being severed. The victims accused the foreign ministry of interfering with judicial procedures and fiercely attacked the ministry for trying to block the victims from exercising their rights.

Now that the legal representatives of the victims, who had actively taken part in the public-private consultative group, are declaring a boycott, it is unclear as to whether the consultative group will continue to operate. Besides, the government has already collected opinions from various fields in two previous meetings, so some point out that it is now time for the government to make a decision. However, now that the government-civilian consultative body has been disrupted, it puts the government in a more difficult position to determine a solution. Even if the government makes a decision and presents a solution, it will be hard to obtain the support of the victims and the public. The latest incident is also expected to trigger a heated debate over whether the executive branch presenting its opinion on a trial concerning a national issue is interfering with the administration of justice.

A representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spoke on the press conference by the victims this day and said, “We maintain our position that we will listen to the opinions of all levels and areas of society including the plaintiffs through the public-private consultative group and will devote our sincere efforts.” He also explained that the ministry was considering holding a meeting of the consultative group in early August.