Gwangju District Court Dismisses Objection to Deposit of Forced Labor Compensation from Japanese Colonial Era

Following the Jeonju District Court, the Gwangju District Court also dismissed the objection to the refusal of the government's 'third-party payment' deposit of the forced labor judgment money from the Japanese colonial period.

On the 16th, Judge Kang Ae-ran of the Civil Division 44 of the Gwangju District Court dismissed two objections filed by the Foundation for the Support of Victims of Forced Mobilization under Japanese Colonial Rule against the refusal decisions on deposits.

The two dismissed cases involved objections to the refusal of deposits for 'third-party payment' of forced labor judgment money, with surviving victims of forced mobilization under Japanese colonial rule, grandmother Yang Geum-deok and grandfather Lee Chun-sik, as creditors.

Previously, the government attempted to deposit the compensation money intended for four plaintiffs in the forced labor compensation lawsuits who did not accept the third-party payment solution with the court, but when the court rejected this, the foundation filed objections in its name.

Judge Kang stated, "The deposit officer can review not only procedural requirements but also substantive requirements regarding the validity of the deposit through the deposit documents and attached papers," and judged, "The decision to refuse the deposit in this case on the grounds that third-party payment is impossible does not exceed the formal review authority of the deposit officer."

She added, "According to Article 469, Paragraph 1 of the Civil Act, even a unilateral declaration of intention by the creditor party means that the applicant for the deposit cannot repay the judgment money to the creditor."

Earlier, the Jeonju District Court also dismissed the objection to the refusal of deposit related to two children of the late grandmother Park Hae-ok, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is expected to proceed with an appeal process.