Catherwood LibraryILR School

The top court in South Korea has decided that a Japanese company must compensate 4 people who were forced to work for the firm during World War II. Leaders in both South Korea and Japan are concerned that this ruling will encourage other forced laborers and their families to come forward, thus creating anti-Japan sentiment that will weaken the alliance between the two countries. During WWII an estimated 15,000 South Korean laborers were forced to work for Japanese firms. South Korea has not fully recovered from these war-era crimes, and some feel that Japan has not done enough to mend the wounds of the past. Japanese leadership would prefer to move on from WWII era issues and are displeased by the recent court ruling. Currently, Japanese leaders are waiting to see what South Korean officials do in response to this ruling but have stated that they may seek international arbitration.