Government’s Statement on the Judiciary’s Ruling on Victims of Forced Labor
(2018. 10. 30.)
The government of the Republic of Korea respects the judicial branch’s judgment on forced labor victims during the Japanese colonial occupation period and the government will closely review the issues related to today’s ruling.
To that end, the Prime Minister will work with the relevant government agencies and civilian experts to come up with ways to deal with the issues after taking various matters into consideration.
The government regrets the pain and suffering experienced by the forced labor victims and will do its utmost to promptly assist the victims throughout the healing process.
The government hopes to strengthen its bilateral relationship with Japan in a future-oriented manner.
Regarding the Japanese Government’s Attitude towards the Korean Judiciary’s Ruling on Victims of Forced Labor
I express my deep concern over the continued aggressive remarks by Japanese government leaders on the Korean Supreme Court ruling regarding victims of forced labor during the Japanese occupation of Korea.
Their remarks are neither reasonable nor wise.
Rulings by the judiciary are not a matter for diplomacy between governments. A judicial institution is only responsible for making legal judgments, and democracies rest upon the principle that government should not intervene in judicial affairs. The Japanese government leaders are certainly not unaware of this.
The Korean Supreme Court ruling does not negate the 1965 Treaty on Basic Relations between Korea and Japan. Rather, it pertains to the scope of application of the treaty based on an acknowledgement of it. The ruling makes this clear.
I have refrained from making comments on the issue and am working with the relevant government agencies and civilian experts to gather their wisdom on how to address this matter.
Japanese government leaders may speak their minds on the ruling of the Korean judiciary. Regretfully, I cannot but express my views because Japanese government leaders are driving the issue towards a diplomatic dispute.
I urge Japanese government leaders to deal with the issue wisely. The Korean government will do its utmost to heal the sufferings of the victims of forced labor. Again, it is the Korean government’s hope to strengthen its bilateral relationship with Japan in a future-oriented manner.
November 7, 2018
Lee Nak-yon
Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea