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Members of Joint Action for Historical Justice and Peaceful Korea-Japan Relations hold a press conference outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Feb. 22 to condemn the South Korean government for negotiating with Tokyo on compensation for victims of forced labor mobilization during the Japanese occupation. (Shin So-young/The Hankyoreh)

The group Joint Action for Historical Justice and Peaceful Korea-Japan Relations declared a “week of concerted action” in the leadup to the March 1st Movement Day holiday, while denouncing the South Korean government for its negotiations with Tokyo on compensation for victims of forced labor mobilization during the Japanese occupation.

On Wednesday morning, members of the group held a press conference in front of the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul’s Jongno District.

“Despite the objections of the victims, the government has been successively pursuing foreign minister and vice foreign minister talks with Japan and seeking an agreement with Tokyo on the forced labor mobilization issue,” they said, calling for a “stop to this capitulatory approach to diplomacy.”

Members of Joint Action for Historical Justice and Peaceful Korea-Japan Relations hold a press conference outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Feb. 22 to condemn the South Korean government for negotiating with Tokyo on compensation for victims of forced labor mobilization during the Japanese occupation, holding up a banner with a photo of Yang Geum-deok, a victim of forced mobilization. (Shin So-young/The Hankyoreh)

Featured at the press conference that day were a statue representing victims of forced labor mobilization and a letter to South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jin from Yang Geum-deok, a survivor of forced mobilization work at Mitsubishi.

The participants also announced plans to hold a nationwide rally on the plaza in front of Seoul City Hall on the afternoon of March 1 to call for an apology from Japan on the forced mobilization issue and direct compensation from Japanese companies implicated in war crimes.

Naoki Kumagai, deputy chief of mission at the Japanese Embassy to Korea, boards an elevator at the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Feb. 16 after being summoned in regard to Japan holding a “Takeshima Day” event in which it furthered its claim on the Korean territory of Dokdo. (Yonhap)

An enlarged letter written by Yang Geum-deok, a victim of forced mobilization, stands next to a statue depicting Korean victims of forced mobilization. (Shin So-young/The Hankyoreh)

People take part in the 1,584th Wednesday Demonstration calling for a resolution to the “comfort women” issue of sexual slavery on Feb. 22. (Shin So-young/The Hankyoreh)

A young participant in the 1,584th Wednesday Demonstration in Seoul holds up a sign reading “Apologize to the ‘comfort women’ grannies.” (Shin So-young/The Hankyoreh)

People take part in the 1,584th Wednesday Demonstration calling for a resolution to the “comfort women” issue of sexual slavery on Feb. 22. (Shin So-young/The Hankyoreh)

By Shin So-young, staff reporter

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