RALLYS ON JAPAN'S WARTIME FORCED LABOR

[Anchor Lead]

Yesterday marked one year since South Korea's Supreme Court ruled that Japanese companies should compensate the Korean victims of wartime forced labor. A rally was staged in front of the former Japanese embassy to condemn the Japanese government and urge the Japanese companies to comply with the court order.

[Pkg]

The bereaved families of the victims of Japan's wartime forced labor have gathered in front of the former Japanese embassy. They expressed their outrage by saying that it has been one year since the Supreme Court issued its verdict, but nothing has changed.

[Soundbite] KIM JONG-DAE(ASSOCIATION OF FAMILIES OF WARTIME FORCED LABOR VICTIMS) : "The issues of compensation for my deceased father, who was sacrificed, and the repatriation of his remains are still unsolved. It is very frustrating and deplorable."

This week's Wednesday rally condemning Japan for its failure to solve the issue of wartime sexual slavery also blasted the Japanese government for refusing to comply with the court order.

[Soundbite] YOON MI-HYANG(JUSTICE FOR THE COMFORT WOMEN) : "They ignore international calls for apologizing and compensating the victims. They ignore the Korean court's order as well."

Some 600 residents of Seodaemun-gu District in Seoul, from young children to elderly people, expressed their protest in post cards.

[Soundbite] "Abe, apologize! Abe, apologize!"

The Korean public harshly criticized Japan for responding to the court order by imposing economic retaliatory measures against Korea instead of apologizing.

[Soundbite] YOO RUT(SEOUL RESIDENT) : "One of the victims of forced labor, Lee Chun-shik, felt very sorry, because he thought he was responsible for Japan's retaliation. Why do the victims need to be sorry and suffer because of Japan's wrongdoing?"

Members of the civic group Movement for One Korea and some one hundred college students staged one-person rallies nationwide.

[Soundbite] KANG JIN-MYUNG(MOVEMENT FOR ONE KOREA) : "We believe that there must be a heartfelt apology for what happened in the past, an apology and compensation that the victims can accept."

Rallies organized by civic groups continued all day on Wednesday in front of the Japanese embassy to demand compensation to the victims of wartime forced labor.