The Japanese government swiftly rejected an 8 January ruling by the Seoul Central District Court that it must pay compensation to a group of surviving wartime sexual slaves known as “comfort women,” citing sovereign immunity and the terms of the 1965 basic treaty between Japan and South Korea.
The ruling adds another source of tension at a time when the two governments remain deeply at odds due to a separate dispute regarding compensation for Korean forced laborers.
Domestic politics in both countries will make it difficult for either government to offer meaningful concessions in the
- January 11, 2021
- 16:14
Asia
JAPAN/SOUTH KOREA: Comfort women ruling drives new wedge in relationship
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