President Moon: "I am proud to be the legal representative for forced labor victims"

Rebuttal to Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun Report... "As Legal Representative, I Understand the Victim's Feelings Better Than Anyone"

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] President Moon Jae-in said on the 11th regarding the report by Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun, "(The Yomiuri Shimbun criticizes me for being the litigation representative of forced labor victims) but I rather take pride in it," according to a Blue House official.

The Blue House official conveyed that President Moon made this remark in relation to the Yomiuri article. Yomiuri pointed out through a series titled "The Site of Korea-Japan, the Reality of President Moon" that President Moon, due to his experience as a human rights lawyer, insists on a 'victim-centered approach' in the issue of forced labor under Japanese colonial rule.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Regarding this, President Moon said, "When I was a lawyer, I did not work at a large law firm, and (when I took a leave from practicing law) I did not engage in profit-oriented activities such as outside directorships," adding, "(Japanese media) may frame me as a litigation representative, but the established principle in the international community, including the UN Human Rights Committee, is victim-centeredness."

President Moon emphasized, "Victim-centeredness is a principle agreed upon by the international community. The comfort women agreement failed to gain public consent because it was not based on victim-centeredness," and "Seeking a solution to the forced labor victim issue must also prioritize the victims' consent as the greatest principle."

President Moon stated, "As a litigation representative, I understand the victims' feelings better than anyone. However, it is not because of my experience as a litigation representative or because I am the President of the Republic of Korea that I adhere to victim-centeredness. It is because it is a fundamental principle of the international community."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

A Blue House official said about President Moon's remarks, "Victim-centeredness is not President Moon Jae-in's personal philosophy. It is a fundamental principle agreed upon by the international community," and explained, "President Moon did not only act as a litigation representative regarding the forced labor victim issue. During the Roh Moo-hyun administration in August 2005, he also served as a member of the public-private joint committee (then co-chaired by Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan and lawyer Yang Sam-seung) established as a follow-up measure after the Korea-Japan summit document disclosure."

The Blue House official criticized, "The committee at that time also concluded that 'the personal claims of forced labor victims have not been extinguished.' However, reporting as if the issue of forced labor victims is being approached solely from the standpoint of a litigation representative distorts the facts."