[정치]The comfort women issue re-issued… a big wave of Korea-Japan relations

[앵커]

As the court ruled directly to the Japanese government to compensate victims of comfort women, it is likely to have a great impact on Korea-Japan relations.

If the ruling is enforced, Japan is likely to revolt fiercely, and voices saying that the two countries should find a solution through dialogue, it will not be easy.

This is reporter Dowon Kim.

[기자]

The comfort women issue, which has not been discussed for a while, has emerged as an issue of Korea-Japan relations.

Unlike compensation for damages from compulsory conscription against Japanese companies, this ruling is expected to have a greater impact as it demands compensation directly from the Japanese government.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it will respect the court’s judgment and will do what it can to restore the honor of the comfort women victims.

However, it is an atmosphere of striving to minimize the impact of this ruling, saying, “I hope that cooperation between Korea and Japan will continue.”

Once the judgment is finalized, victims can seize domestic Japanese government assets.

In this case, it is certain that Japan will strongly oppose it, which is likely to act as another negative factor in the state that the issue of compensation for damages from forced labor has not been resolved.

[오승진 / 단국대 법대 교수 : 국제인권법의 측면에서는 상당히 진일보된 판결이긴 한데, 결국은 해결해야 할 것은 행정부, 정부가 해결해야 한단 말이죠. 집행 문제도 있고… 과제가 하나 더 늘었다고 볼 수 있는 거죠.]

However, since diplomatic missions such as embassy buildings are legally impossible to seize, it is unlikely that it will be easy to find assets to execute judgments realistically.

Japan is also strongly opposed, but going to an international trial could have the effect of making the comfort women issue more public.

In the end, it is best for the two countries to find a solution through dialogue, but it is unlikely that Japan will enter into a new consultation that the comfort women issue has been resolved through a claim agreement and a comfort women agreement.

The new ambassador to Japan, Kang Chang-il, who is on the mission to improve relations between Korea and Japan, said he needs political wisdom and has a heavy shoulder.

While the government has announced that it will strive for future-oriented cooperation between Korea and Japan, it is noteworthy whether a message to resolve the problem will come out in President Moon Jae-in’s New Year’s address.

This is YTN Kim Do-won.

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