Wartime Labor Suit Papers Deemed Received
There has been a new development in a wartime labor lawsuit in South Korea against Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. A South Korean court has deemed that the company has received documents related to the sale of assets seized from it.
The issue stems from a ruling by South Korea's Supreme Court in November 2018. It ordered Mitsubishi Heavy to pay compensation to South Koreans who said they or their relatives were forced to work for the firm during World War Two.
The Japanese government says any right to claims was settled in 1965, when Japan and South Korea normalized ties. Tokyo has been urging Seoul to rectify what it calls a situation in which international law is being violated. Mitsubishi Heavy has refused talks with the plaintiffs over the matter.
The documents -- which Mitsubishi Heavy is deemed to have received on Tuesday -- were published by the South Korean court on its website two months ago, in September.
The court also took similar steps with other documents, which Mitsubishi Heavy will be deemed to have received on December 30. All this will allow the plaintiffs to proceed with plans to liquidate the company's assets.
South Korean media outlets reported that the liquidation will likely take time as it requires more work to be done.
Mitsubishi Heavy said it understands that any right to claims was settled completely and finally in the Japan-South Korea pact. The company added it plans to write and submit an opinion in light of ongoing developments in bilateral negotiations.
