DEVT. ON S. KOREA-JAPAN FORCED LABOR ISSUE

[Anchor Lead]

The Korean Supreme Court had ruled in 2018 that Japan compensate the Korean victims of forced labor during World War II. But Japanese corporations still have not paid compensation by intentionally avoiding to receive court documents. KBS has found out recently that the Korean court has decided to proceed with the ruling by starting the sales process of the Japanese corporation's assets in Korea.

[Pkg]

[Soundbite] SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE KIM MYEONG-SOO(OCT. 30, 2018) : "All appeals are dismissed."

That was the first Supreme Court ruling that ordered Japanese wartime corporations to pay compensation to the victims of forced labor. But the companies defied the court's ruling and still haven't complied with the compensation order. Early last year the victims asked the court to seize the stocks of Nippon Steel's joint venture company in Korea and sell them. The Korean Supreme Court had sent asset seizure documents through the Japanese foreign affairs ministry, but they were returned after six months. Another set of documents disappeared after it arrived in the foreign ministry in Japan. This led to the Pohang branch of the Daegu District Court issuing the first "conveyance of public announcement" that essentially told Nippon Steel to come get the asset seizure documents. "Conveyance of public announcement" is used when a document fails to reach a designated party. The court notifies a recipient that the court is keeping the document and deems the document delivered after a certain period of time has passed. This is the first time that the court has issued "conveyance of public announcement" in relation to the asset sales of Japanese companies linked to warcrimes. The deadline designated by the Korean court is August 3rd. The latest decision indicates the Supreme Court ruling will be executed only through domestic means. The liquidation of Nippon Steel's assets in Korea is very likely to proceed through conveyance of public announcement after some time.

[Soundbite] JEONG JAE-WOOK(ATTORNEY) : "The court has already mailed questions to Nippon Steel last year. That can be done through conveyance of public announcement as well."

Subsequently, conveyance of public announcement may be issued for other Japanese corporations, such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, to execute the Korean Supreme Court's final rulings.