"South Korea Declares Surrender to Japan"... Opposition Proposes Resolution Urging Withdrawal of Forced Labor Solution

The Democratic Party of Korea has proposed a National Assembly resolution urging the government to withdraw its solution to the issue of forced labor during the Japanese colonial period. The Democratic Party called for the withdrawal of the forced labor solution prepared by the current government, as well as compensation from the Japanese perpetrator companies. The Democratic Party has requested the convening of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee on the 13th.

On the 12th, Lee Jae-jung, the Democratic Party’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee secretary, announced the proposal of the "Resolution to Withdraw the Yoon Seok-yeol Government’s Humiliating and Anti-Historical ‘Forced Labor Solution’ and to Urge Apologies and Compensation from the Japanese Government and Companies." Thirty-five members of the National Assembly, including Kim Young-joo, the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, and Park Hong-geun, the floor leader, as well as independent lawmakers, participated in this proposal.

The resolution stated, "The forced labor solution announced by the government seeks third-party compensation through fundraising by Korean companies without apologies or compensation from the Japanese government or war crime companies, and intends to accept Japan’s statement of inheriting past declarations as an apology.” It added, “This is a humiliating surrender declaration in which Korea, the victim, bows to Japan, the perpetrator, and will be recorded as one of the worst diplomatic disasters in history, comparable to ‘national humiliation’."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In particular, the resolution expressed concern that while the 2018 Supreme Court ruling stipulated "relief for damages caused by illegal colonial rule and aggressive war," the current government’s solution effectively recognizes Japan’s claim of ‘legal colonial rule,’ which Japan had desired, and that the Korean government’s negotiation logic with Japan regarding issues such as the Sado Mine and Hashima Island (Gunkanjima) historical distortions has been weakened. It also pointed out that victims were excluded from the process of announcing the forced labor solution.

Representative Lee criticized, "Mocking the Yoon Seok-yeol government, which had consistently expected sincere responses from Japan, Japan denied the very existence of forced labor just three days after the announcement of the forced labor solution.” He added, “This is a diplomatic disaster as tragic as the Gyeongsul National Humiliation, where the government of the Republic of Korea itself trampled on the dignity of forced labor victims and the pride of the Korean people.” Furthermore, considering President Yoon Seok-yeol’s visit to Japan, he pointed out that the opposition party’s request to convene the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee was not accepted and announced that a request letter demanding the committee’s convening on the morning of the 13th had been submitted.