[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hyowon] Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan, which has ignored compensation for forced labor victims during the Japanese colonial period, has filed an appeal against the asset sale order issued by our courts.
According to the legal community on the 20th, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries filed an immediate appeal with Chief Judge Kim Yongchan of Civil Division 28 at Daejeon District Court, who approved the application for a special cash conversion (sale) order of trademark and patent rights filed by forced labor victims Yang Geumdeok (92) and Kim Seongju (92).
An immediate appeal is a procedure to contest a court decision that needs to be finalized quickly. It appears that Mitsubishi intends to pursue all possible legal procedures related to the Korean court’s sale order.
According to Kyodo News, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries stated the reason for submitting the immediate appeal was their understanding that the claims of former Korean female labor corps (Jeongsindae) members were "completely and finally resolved with no further claims possible" under the 1965 Korea-Japan Claims Agreement.
Mitsubishi also added that they would cooperate with the Japanese government to respond appropriately. The Japanese government has argued that the South Korean Supreme Court’s ruling ordering compensation to forced labor victims during the Japanese colonial period violates international law and has effectively urged Mitsubishi not to comply with the ruling.
They also expressed a threatening stance that if the asset sale causes substantial damage to the Japanese company, it would lead to a serious situation in Korea-Japan relations.
Earlier, on the 27th of last month, Chief Judge Kim Yongchan ordered the sale of bonds worth about 500 million won (trademark and patent rights) seized from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
This was a follow-up procedure after the Supreme Court’s First Division (Presiding Justice No Taeak) dismissed Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ re-appeal against the seizure order of trademark and patent rights filed by Yang Geumdeok and Kim Seongju on the 10th of last month.
The specific sale targets are two trademark rights (bonds of Yang Geumdeok) and two patent rights (bonds of Kim Seongju). The amount that can be secured through the sale is approximately 209.7 million won per person (including interest and delayed damages).
This is the first time a Korean court has issued an order to sell assets of a Japanese company related to forced labor damages. However, the actual sale remains uncertain due to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ ongoing legal disputes.
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