South Korean justice orders Japan to compensate 16 women, former sex slaves during World War II

This decision cancels that taken by a lower court, which had dismissed these victims, reduced to slavery in the brothels of the imperial army during the world conflict.

After the disappointment, relief. A South Korean court ordered Japan to compensate 16 women or families of women who were victims of sexual slavery during World War II on Thursday (November 23). This decision annuls that taken by a lower court which had dismissed them two years earlier. Lee Young-soo, one of the 16 plaintiffs, now 95, raised her arms in joy as she left the court, telling reporters: “I am very grateful (…) I thank the victims who died.”

In 2021, this first civil case was presented to justice in South Korea against Tokyo by these women, reduced to slavery in military brothels during the world conflict. A court in the central district of Seoul then highlighted the“sovereign immunity” of Japan to dismiss them, in April 2021 (this principle of international law prevents a court from prosecuting a foreign state). The court further found that acceptance of the plaintiffs’ requests could cause a diplomatic incident.

Tokyo has always refused to appear

But the Seoul High Court ruled Thursday that it was “reasonable to say that sovereign immunity should not be respected (…) in cases of illegal conduct”, according to a court document consulted by AFP. She ordered the payment of 200 million won, or 141,000 euros, to each of the plaintiffs. The court said the victims had been “abducted or dragged into sexual slavery” and judged that as a result, they had suffered “damage” And “could not lead a normal life after the war”.

According to historians, up to 200,000 women, mostly from Korea but also from other parts of Asia including China, were forced to become sex slaves for Japanese soldiers during World War II.

This issue has long weighed on bilateral relations between Seoul and Tokyo, which colonized the Korean peninsula between 1910 and 1945. The Japanese government denies being directly responsible for abuses committed during the war, saying the victims were recruited by civilians. Tokyo has always refused to appear before South Korean courts, maintaining that the dispute had been resolved by the 1965 treaty, which involved the payment of reparations. Japan could therefore appeal this decision.