South Korean President Moon calls for 'restrained' language with Japan over wartime forced labour row

SEOUL (REUTERS) - South Korea's President Moon Jae-in told Japanese lawmakers on Friday (Dec 14) that "cautious, restrained language" is needed when discussing wartime forced labour to avoid "inciting antagonistic emotions" between the people of the two East Asian countries.

A row between Seoul and Tokyo flared again in late October when South Korea's Supreme Court ruled that Japan's Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp must pay four South Koreans 100 million won (S$121,300) in compensation for their forced labour during World War II.

Japan denounced as "unthinkable" the ruling, which said the workers' right to reparation was not terminated by a 1965 treaty. The verdict strained relations and could affect bilateral efforts to rein in North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes, analysts say.

Mr Moon said the South Korean government would take its time to seek a solution because the issue was triggered by a judicial ruling and must be respected by the government.

"Hurting the amicable sentiment between the two countries does not help the progress of the future relationship between South Korea and Japan," Mr Moon said on Friday.

Japanese leaders reacted angrily to the verdict, and subsequent similar rulings against Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the matter had been "completely and finally" settled by the 1965 treaty.

Mr Moon also addressed another contentious bilateral issue after Seoul disbanded last month a fund meant to settle compensation for South Korean women forced to work in Japanese military brothels during World War II.

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https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/south-korean-president-moon-calls-for-restrained-language-with-japan-over-wartime