Victims of Japan’s wartime army sexual slavery and their bereaved households filed a authorized request with the court docket on Friday to confirm the small print of property owned by the Japanese authorities in South Korea, in a bid to safe compensation following their civil lawsuit victory final November.
Justice for the Comfort Women, a Seoul-based civic group advocating for Korean victims of Japan’s wartime sexual slavery, introduced that the victims and their households had submitted the request below the Civil Execution Act to the Seoul Central District Court.
The intention is to establish and assess Japanese government-owned property that might doubtlessly be seized for compensation. Such property sometimes embrace embassy buildings, consulates, cultural facilities and monetary investments.
“The Japanese government is refusing to take responsibility for compensation. We express regret that the victims now find themselves in a situation where they have no choice but to file for the disclosure of assets as a preliminary step to enforcing the ruling,” the civic group stated in a press launch. “We strongly urge the Japanese government to respect the victims’ human rights and take action to fulfill its legal responsibilities.”
The civil group known as on the South Korean authorities to “make diplomatic efforts to ensure that the victims’ legitimate rights are realized.”
The announcement of the authorized request for asset disclosure coincided with the arrival of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Seoul on the identical day for a gathering with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.
The authorized request follows a pivotal court docket ruling in November final 12 months. The Seoul High Court ordered Japan to pay the compensation requested by 16 victims of Japan’s wartime sexual slavery throughout World War II: 200 million received ($150,000) to every complainant. The ruling was finalized as Japan didn’t attraction.
According to the civic group, following their authorized victory final November, representatives of the victims despatched a discover, together with the ruling, through worldwide categorical mail to Kishida, Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Justice Minister Ryuji Koizumi on May 23. The discover was confirmed to have been delivered on May 27, however they’ve ignored it up thus far, the group stated.
Property specification is a authorized process used to confirm property that may be seized when a debtor fails to satisfy their obligations.
When a request for disclosure of property is justifiably well-grounded, the court docket might order the debtor to submit an in depth property catalog specifying their asset standing. Once a date is ready for the disclosure, this catalog, together with data on any transactions inside a particular interval, have to be submitted. The debtor should then seem in court docket and swear to the truthfulness of the checklist.