[정치]Overturned comfort women ruling, opportunity to seek diplomatic solutions…concerns about prolonged conflict

[앵커]

There is a growing interest in how the court’s decision to dismiss a lawsuit for damages for victims of comfort women in the Japanese military will affect the conflicting relationship between Korea and Japan.

It is highly criticized that the Korean and Japanese governments should seek a diplomatic solution based on this ruling, but it seems difficult to come up with a dramatic breakthrough due to the large difference between the two sides.

Reporter Lee Kyo-jun.

[기자]

The court overturned the ruling in January after three months as the court rejected the lawsuit for damages filed by victims of Japanese military comfort women.

The emphasis on the government’s efforts to address the victims problem while respecting customary international law attracts attention.

The Seoul Central District Court stated that “Resolving the comfort women victim problem should be done through internal and external efforts, including diplomatic negotiations.”

As this ruling confirms the limitations of judicial solutions, voices are growing that we need to turn back to diplomatic solutions.

[최은미 / 아산정책연구원 연구위원 : 이번 판결 같은 경우는 사법부의 판단만으로는 이 문제가 해결될 수 없다는 것을 보여줬다고 생각을 하고요. 오히려 이런 계기를 통해서 우리 정부가 외교적으로 해결할 수 있는 방안을 모색해야 된다고 생각합니다.]

Both the Korean and Japanese governments are vague about the court’s ruling, but the difference between the two sides remains.

It is a situation in which’respect for the judgment of the judiciary and victims’ is confronted with’respect for international law’.

Since the inauguration of Foreign Minister Eui-yong Eui-yong, the number of calls between Korean and Japanese ministers has not been reached for more than two months.

Although Minister Chung proposed to hold a meeting of foreign ministers between Korea and Japan on the 31st of last month, the Japanese side is not responding on the grounds that practical efforts should be preceded.

[정의용 / 외교부 장관 (21일 관훈클럽 토론회) : 가급적 조기에 일본 외교 장관 만나서 이런 문제들을 대화를 통해 해결할 수 있지 않을까 기대하고 있는데, 아직은 일본이 그런 준비가 안 돼 있는 것 같습니다.]

The Biden administration, which wishes to restore the triangular cooperation between Korea and the United States, is still cautious about active mediation.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Development of 7 countries (G7) will be attending the meeting with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Development in London at the beginning of next month.

YTN Kyojun Lee[[email protected]]is.

[저작권자(c) YTN & YTN plus 무단전재 및 재배포 금지]