hankyoreh

Yang Geum-deok, one of the Korean victims of Japan’s mobilization of forced labor, speaks at a press conference on Feb. 13 in Gwangju, where she calls for an apology and reparations from Japan. (Yonhap)

Victims of Japanese colonial era forced mobilization are strongly protesting the government’s plan for compensating them, calling it a “diplomatic disaster worse than the 2015 ‘comfort women’ agreement.”

The government on Monday announced its plans for a compensation deal for the victims involving funds raised through donations from the private sector, including domestic companies, instead of direct payment from liable Japanese firms.

“The Yoon Suk-yeol government neglects the victims’ fight for the restoration of their human rights and dignity and is turning back the clock of history,” said Kim Yeong-hwan, head of external cooperation at the Center for Historical Truth and Justice, which supports victims of forced labor perpetrated by Nippon Steel, while speaking to the Hankyoreh over the phone on Sunday.

“I would like to ask who is served by South Korea-US-Japan military cooperation, which tramples on the human rights of the victims of forced mobilization," Kim said.

Lim Jae-sung, a lawyer who represents victims of forced labor, also shared his views on social media on Monday.

“It is like the bonds of forced labor victims are being dissipated with money from South Korean companies,” Lim wrote, adding, “This is a complete victory for Japan, who won’t pay even a single yen for the issue of forced labor.”

Lee Guk-eon, chairperson of the Citizens Association on Imperial Japan’s Labor Mobilization, which supports victims of forced mobilization by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, rebuked the so-called “future youth fund” that is being made to look like a “sincere response” from Japan, saying the idea had already been brought up during past negotiations.

“During the 2012 negotiations, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries said in front of us that it would set up a scholarship fund for South Korean students,” Lee explained. “It’s as if they are reusing spoiled food that had previously been laid on an offering table as a negotiating card.”

Victims of forced labor perpetrated by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries had been negotiating with the company from Nov. 8, 2010, until July 6, 2012, to resolve the issue of compensation.

With a Japanese court having acknowledged the damages inflicted by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the company issued an apology at the time detailing these wrongdoings and expressed their intention to the victims to create a scholarship fund for South Korean overseas students. However, the victims rejected the proposal since it wasn’t seen as a solution that fit the purpose to compensate for damages.

Support groups for the victims of forced mobilization plan to candlelight vigil denouncing the government at Seoul Plaza on Monday evening.

Meanwhile, Yang Geum-deok, 94, a victim of Mitsubishi’s forced labor mobilization, plans to hold a press conference on Tuesday with other civic groups to criticize the government’s plan.

By Shin Hyeong-cheol, staff reporter

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