Korean war slave's savings accounts uncovered in Japan
Money held by bank that was paid to Koreans forced to labour in Japan must be returned to them or surviving relatives, says lobby group

The Korean community in Japan is demanding that money in postal savings accounts held by slave labourers during the second world war be returned to them or their surviving relatives.

The labourers - who worked in mines, shipyards, steel mills and the agricultural sector - did not receive their full pay as the Japanese authorities feared they might use it to help them escape.
In the chaos of the closing days of the war, the account books were never returned to their owners and they were never notified about their savings.

"If the holder of the account is still alive, then the money should be returned," said Choi Bong-kyu, a spokesman for Mindan, which represents South Koreans living in Japan.
"In addition, if the holder of the title deed is dead or has disappeared, there is a responsibility to identify his or her relatives and return the money to them. The amounts should be converted to their modern-day value."
