South Korea’s Top Court Dismisses Nippon Steel Appeal in Lawsuit over Requisitioned Worker
South Korea’s Supreme Court finalized a lower court ruling ordering Nippon Steel to pay damages to plaintiffs connected to a former requisitioned worker.Summary
The South Korean Supreme Court dismissed Nippon Steel’s appeal in a lawsuit brought by individuals linked to a former worker requisitioned from the Korean Peninsula during Japan’s colonial rule. This decision finalizes a high court order requiring Nippon Steel to pay 100 million won (approximately ¥10.6 million) to the plaintiffs, who alleged the worker was forced to labor at an ironworks in Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture, between 1940 and 1942. This is the first finalized ruling in such a lawsuit since President Lee Jae Myung took office in June. The case stems from a broader issue addressed in a 2023 agreement where the South Korean government proposed a foundation would compensate former requisitioned workers or their families who had won lawsuits against Japanese companies.
(Source：The Japan News)