Photo : YONHAP News
A South Korean man who was forced to work in a factory during World War II, during the Japanese colonial era, has accepted Seoul’s “third-party reimbursement” solution based on donations from domestic firms that benefited from a 1965 normalization treaty between the two countries.
According to the Foundation for Victims of Forced Mobilization by Imperial Japan on Wednesday, 104-year-old Lee Chun-sik accepted restitution and delayed interest payments from the foundation.
In 2018, the Supreme Court sided with Lee and other victims, ordering Japanese companies to pay restitution to the plaintiffs.
While Nippon Steel and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries refused to comply, Seoul proposed to compensate the victims through the government-affiliated foundation in March 2023 as part of efforts to mend ties with Tokyo.
Two other victims who were alive at the time of the 2018 ruling have accepted restitution from the foundation: the late Kim Seong-ju in May 2023 and Yang Geum-deok last week.
The families of two deceased victims, the opposition Democratic Party and some civic organizations remain opposed to the government’s solution, saying it does not hold Japan accountable.
Lee’s eldest son, meanwhile, held a press conference Wednesday claiming that his father is not cognitively capable of making this decision.