Supporters of South Korean victims forced to work during Japan's colonial rule in Seoul late last month. (Image via Reuters)

Japan May Take South Korea to the International Court of Justice Over Wartime Labor Dispute

Japan and South Korea relations are on fire. After imposing export restrictions of high-tech materials to South Korea, Japan is now considering taking the compensation dispute of wartime forced labor with the neighboring country to the International Court of Justice.

It is cited that Japan’s restrictions on exports are seen as a retaliation to South Korea for bringing up a request of compensation for former forced labor during the Japanese annexation of the Korean peninsula which occurred between 1910 and 1945.

Japanese believes that the dispute of compensation was settled under the 1965 Treaty.

Therefore, Japan reiterated its stance to strongly request South Korea to refer the issue to third-party arbitration, Japanese deputy chief cabinet secretary Yasutoshi Nishimura said in a briefing on Wednesday (7/17). Seoul rejected the request, but Tokyo keeps pushing for the arbitration to take place to settle the dispute. Nishimura added that Seoul has a responsibility to answer to Tokyo’s demand for arbitration, as the 1965 bilateral agreement has stipulated steps regarding how to settle issues on compensation for Japan’s colonial victims.

The deadline to make the arrangements is on Thursday (7/18).

The simmering tension has drawn the US attention to do what it can do to help to diffuse political and economic disputes between its allies. In his visit to Seoul recently, an American Diplomat David Stilwell emphasized that the US will encourage a dialogue between Japan and South Korea instead of intervening the dispute.

Last year, South Korea’s Supreme Court order two Japanese companies to compensate the wartime workers which Japan considered the ruling as a violation of international law.

Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/japan-south-korea-wartime-forced-labour-dispute-11730874