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South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin (right) poses for a photo with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi on Feb. 18 at the Munich Security Conference. (courtesy of the ROK MOFA)

The foreign ministers of South Korea and Japan met on Saturday (local time) in Germany and discussed the issue of compensation for Korean victims of forced labor during the Japanese colonial period but failed to reach a compromise.

The two countries continue to butt heads over whether offending Japanese companies will take part in compensating the victims and if the Japanese government will offer an apology.

When asked by reporters if he had broached the subject of an apology by Japan and the offending war criminal companies’ compensation of victims, South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin stated, “We talked about everything that we could,” characterizing his talk with his Japanese counterpart on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference as “a very sincere, honest conversation.”

“Japan must have the political resolve to make a sincere gesture,” said Park. “Since both parties have understood each other’s stances, political resolve is all that remains to be seen.”

Park’s use of the term “sincere gesture” seems to refer to the participation and apology of Japanese war criminal companies including Nippon Steel and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

After South Korea’s Supreme Court confirmed in a ruling that victims of forced labor conscription be compensated, the government devised a plan in which the Foundation for Victims of Forced Mobilization by Imperial Japan takes on the burden of compensation to be paid out by offending companies. South Korea. South Korea is currently requesting that offending war criminal countries participate in the compensation of victims of forced labor and that Japan give a sincere apology.

But Japan remains opposed. After the meeting, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi left without responding to questions from the press.

In a statement released the same day, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said, “[T]he ministers exchanged views on overall bilateral relations including the issue of former civilian workers from the Korean Peninsula, in light of the two leaders’ reaffirmation to pursue an early resolution of the bilateral issue of concern at the Japan-ROK Summit Meeting last year in November.”

While the two sides have been discussing the issue at increasingly higher levels — from their bureau director-level meetings in Seoul on Jan. 30 to vice foreign minister talks in Washington on Feb. 13 and the latest meeting of foreign ministers — the difference in views remains wide.

An agreement at this point would only be possible if Japan accedes to the demand for an apology and participation by the offending companies in the compensation framework — or if Seoul withdraws its demands for such actions.

Despite the inability to find common ground, the discussions do not appear likely to go on indefinitely.

South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has submitted an opinion to the Supreme Court requesting a deferment of its judgment in a renewed appeal submitted by victims against Mitsubishi Heavy Industries — which has dragged its feet on complying with the forced labor mobilization compensation ruling — for a forced liquidation order on its trademark and patent rights. But the hearings could resume at any time.

Some observers are predicting potential turning points in the situation with a meeting of the foreign ministers of G-20 nations scheduled in early March or the South Korean president’s commemorative speech for the March 1st Movement Day holiday.

By Noh Ji-won, Berlin correspondent; Shin Hyeong-cheol, staff reporter

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]