[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Yoon-joo] On the 13th, the legal representative of Mr. Lee Chun-sik, a forced labor victim who received a confirmed compensation ruling against Nippon Steel Corporation (formerly Shin Nippon Steel), revealed that Mr. Lee emphasized "Japan's responsible apology" to Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials who visited his home.
Attorney Lim Jae-sung, the legal representative, announced on social media that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials visited Mr. Lee’s home and conveyed that "the elder said, 'I am here on behalf of those who filed the lawsuit together, and I hope for a result that is not shameful to them,' emphasizing Japan's responsible apology."
Attorney Lim added that Mr. Lee’s children, who were present, also expressed sentiments such as "We cannot sell the ruling that our father worked hard and suffered for a long time."
He continued, "The elder’s family will likely decide through a family meeting once the Ministry of Foreign Affairs brings a finalized plan, but for now, they have expressed a negative stance toward the Ministry’s position," he said, relaying this to the Ministry officials as well.
According to the victims’ side, on that day, Seo Min-jung, Director-General of the Asia-Pacific Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Shim Kyu-sun, Chairman of the Foundation for Supporting Victims of Forced Mobilization under Japanese Imperialism (hereafter the Foundation), visited Mr. Lee’s home in Gwangju.
In the government’s proposed solution, the Foundation will play the role of creating a fund and paying the compensation awarded by confirmed rulings to the victims instead of the defendant Japanese companies.
It was reported that during the visit, the officials mainly emphasized their efforts to resolve the issue. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained that they are striving for Japan’s apology and participation of Japanese companies in the fund, but the plan has not yet been finalized, according to the victims’ side.
The government has recently been promoting direct meetings to explain the currently conceived forced labor solution to surviving victims and bereaved families, and to hear their opinions.
Among the plaintiffs represented by Attorney Lim, Mr. Lee Chun-sik is the first to have had a direct meeting since then. However, the victims’ side stated that further discussions are needed regarding additional meetings in the future.
Meanwhile, the government is expected to attempt final opinion convergence on "responsive measures" such as Japan’s apology and fund participation through consecutive ministerial and vice-ministerial diplomatic talks with Japan this week.
Cho Hyun-dong, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, currently visiting the United States to attend the Korea-US-Japan Deputy Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, is reported to hold a separate bilateral meeting with Takeo Mori (森健良), Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan, on the 13th local time. Subsequently, Foreign Minister Park Jin and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi are planning to hold talks locally while attending the Munich Security Conference in Germany from the 17th to the 19th.
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