South Korean wartime sex slaves go to court to demand compensation from Japan
- The case is likely to exacerbate tensions between the neighbours, which are locked in a bitter row over historical and trade issues
- Historians say up to 200,000 women – mostly from Korea, but also other parts of Asia including China – were forced to become sex slaves during WWII
Seoul and Tokyo are locked in a bitter row over historical issues that has spiralled into a full-fledged trade dispute.
The first hearing in the case took place some three years after the 20 plaintiffs – including victims and their family members – filed their action, demanding compensation of 200 million won (US$170,000) each.
Mainstream historians say that up to 200,000 women – mostly from Korea, but also other parts of Asia, including China – were forced to become sex slaves, so-called “comfort women”, for Japanese soldiers during World War II.
Similar cases have previously been mounted in Japan, where courts have ruled against the plaintiffs.
Tokyo insists that all compensation matters were settled by the 1965 treaty that normalised relations between the neighbours and a 2015 deal to “permanently” settle the decades-long dispute with a Japanese apology and a payment of 1 billion yen (US$9.1 million) to survivors.
