Park Jin: "Consider Yang Geum-deok Halmoni's Award and Solutions for Forced Labor Issues"

Foreign Minister Responds to Foreign Affairs Committee's National Audit Questions
Slight Shift from Previous Stance of 'Procedural Issues'
"Aware of Yang Geum-deok Grandmother's Efforts but Must Consider Overall Factors"

Foreign Minister Park Jin addressed the issue of the cancellation of the honor awarded to Grandma Yang Geum-deok, a victim of forced labor under Japanese colonial rule, stating, "Since the government's solution to the Supreme Court ruling on forced labor is being implemented, it is necessary to comprehensively consider such aspects." This marks a shift from the initial stance that the honor was halted due to 'procedural issues' to a position that also takes into account the potential impact on the forced labor solution.

On the 10th, during the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee's audit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Park responded to a related inquiry by Kim Hong-gul of the Democratic Party of Korea, saying, "I am well aware of Grandma Yang Geum-deok's efforts over the past 30 years to raise awareness about the forced labor issue."

Foreign Minister Park Jin is responding at the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee's audit on the 10th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Earlier, the National Human Rights Commission had planned to award Grandma Yang the 'Order of Civil Merit, Moran Medal' in December last year in recognition of her contributions to the movement for restoring the rights of victims of Japanese colonial rule. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs blocked this, resulting in the plan's cancellation. At that time, the Ministry explained, "It was not opposition to honoring a specific individual but rather an opinion that there were procedural issues." Minister Park's response this time pointed out that the potential impact on the forced labor issue must also be considered. This represents a somewhat different nuance from the previous position that emphasized 'procedural issues' regarding the honor.

In particular, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs left the door open to the possibility of reconsidering the honor for Grandma Yang, which was canceled in December last year, stating that "if it is reattempted next year (2023), serious consideration would be possible." However, Minister Park said in his response that "it is a matter that requires continued consultation from a procedural perspective, including prior coordination among relevant ministries." He added, "Besides Grandma Yang, there are other victims who have filed lawsuits related to forced labor," and "fairness toward them should also be considered in the process of awarding honors."

Grandma Yang Geum-deok, a victim of forced labor, is speaking at the citizen fundraising ceremony held by the Korea-Japan Historical Justice and Peace Action and the Gwangju Jeonnam History Keepers last August. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Grandma Yang is one of four victims who have rejected the government's proposed solution to the forced labor issue. Earlier, in March, the government announced a plan for the Forced Mobilization Victims Support Foundation under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety to pay the court-ordered compensation to forced labor victims instead of Japanese companies.

In response to Kim's question about why it was previously said that the issue was an administrative procedural problem and not a diplomatic one, Minister Park replied, "At that time, the solution to the forced labor issue had not yet been proposed to Japan, but it was presented to Japan in March this year." When Kim asked again, "Are you saying that the objection was raised because of administrative procedural issues, and later, after the forced mobilization solution was presented, additional considerations were added?" Park responded, "That is the current situation," and added, "I believe a comprehensive consideration of the situation and timing is necessary."

Furthermore, regarding Democratic Party lawmaker Jo Jung-sik's criticism that Japanese companies have not contributed a single penny to the forced labor solution, Minister Park retorted, "Japanese companies do not acknowledge the debt itself," and asked, "Isn't that the reality?"

Additionally, Minister Park revealed that during his meeting with Japan's new Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko in New York on the 21st of last month, he raised the issue of the UNESCO World Heritage listing of Sado Mine, known as a site of forced Korean labor. In response to criticism that this was not mentioned in the press release at the time, he explained, "The materials released then were not detailed," and added, "We urged Japan to demonstrate sincerity through actions." Sado Mine is currently under review by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), UNESCO's advisory body.