forced labor Archives | Be Korea-savvy
Court of Appeals Again Overturns Ruling against Forced Labor Victims

Court of Appeals Again Overturns Ruling against Forced Labor Victims

SEOUL, Sept. 5 (Korea Bizwire) – A Seoul court of appeals again reversed a district court ruling on compensation for South Korean victims of Japan’s wartime forced labor Thursday, ordering Japan’s Nishimatsu Construction Co. to compensate five victims. The Seoul High Court ruled that the Japanese company has to pay 20 million won (US$15,000) to [...]

Tuna Vessels Using Forced Labor are Hiding Under MSC Ecolabel, New Research Finds

Tuna Vessels Using Forced Labor are Hiding Under MSC Ecolabel, New Research Finds

Oceana’s Philip Chou says, “No one should have to stomach a side of forced labor with their spicy tuna roll.” WASHINGTON, Sept. 03, 2024 (Korea Bizwire) – New research published today in Ocean Sustainability finds that the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the world’s most recognized ecolabel for sustainable seafood, is failing to identify forced labor violations in [...]

South Korean Lawmakers Accuse Japan of Obscuring Forced Labor History at Sado Mine

South Korean Lawmakers Accuse Japan of Obscuring Forced Labor History at Sado Mine

SEOUL, Aug. 20 (Korea Bizwire) – A delegation of South Korean lawmakers who visited Japan’s Sado Gold Mine in Niigata Prefecture has accused Japanese authorities of attempting to conceal the history of forced labor at the site.  The five-member delegation, comprising representatives from the Democratic Party of Korea, the Transition Korea Party, and the Progressive Party, [...]

Japanese Citizens Seek to Unearth Dark History of Wartime Mine Disaster

Japanese Citizens Seek to Unearth Dark History of Wartime Mine Disaster

SEOUL, July 31 (Korea Bizwire) – In a quiet corner of western Japan, a group of dedicated citizens is working to shed light on a long-forgotten tragedy that claimed the lives of 183 miners, including 136 Koreans, during World War II. The Chosei coal mine disaster, which occurred on February 3, 1942, in the city of [...]

ILO Expresses Concern Over Japan’s Lack of Action on ‘Comfort Women’ and Forced Labor Issues

ILO Expresses Concern Over Japan’s Lack of Action on ‘Comfort Women’ and Forced Labor Issues

SEOUL, Mar. 1 (Korea Bizwire) –The International Labor Organization (ILO) has voiced its concern over the absence of concrete actions by the Japanese government to resolve the issues surrounding ‘comfort women’ and forced labor during the Japanese military’s occupation. This statement was highlighted during a joint memorial service held by the Korean Confederation of Trade [...]

Survivors of Wartime Forced Labor Under Japanese Rule Rapidly Declining in Number

Survivors of Wartime Forced Labor Under Japanese Rule Rapidly Declining in Number

GWANGJU, Feb. 29 (Korea Bizwire) – The number of survivors of forced labor during Japan’s colonial rule over Korea is dwindling rapidly. Recent reports reveal a stark decrease in the number of survivors, with the figure falling below 1,000 for the first time.  According to the Civic Group for the Mobilization of Forced Labor under Japanese [...]

Forced Labor Victims Win Another Damages Suit against Japanese Company

Forced Labor Victims Win Another Damages Suit against Japanese Company

GWANGJU, Feb. 15 (Korea Bizwire) — A group of South Korean victims of Japan’s wartime forced labor won another damages suit against a Japanese company Thursday. The Gwangju District Court in the southwestern city of Gwangju ruled in favor of 15 bereaved families of 11 South Korean forced labor victims in the litigation against Mitsubishi [...]

Japanese Citizens Take the Stage in Gwangju to Address Historical Wrongs of Forced Labor

Japanese Citizens Take the Stage in Gwangju to Address Historical Wrongs of Forced Labor

GWANGJU, Feb. 9 (Korea Bizwire) –A groundbreaking play titled “Bongsunhwa” that exposes the human rights abuses suffered by victims of forced labor during the Japanese occupation is set to be performed in the city of Gwangju. The play, conceived and produced by a Japanese civic group, features Japanese citizens, including actors taking on the roles [...]

Japanese Authorities Remove Memorial for Korean Workers, Sparking Media Outcry

Japanese Authorities Remove Memorial for Korean Workers, Sparking Media Outcry

TAKASAKI, Jan. 31 (Korea Bizwire) – In the heart of Japan’s Honshu island, Gunma Prefecture has initiated the controversial removal of a memorial in the city of Takasaki’s Gunma Prefectural Forest Park, dedicated to Korean laborers from the Japanese colonial period. This action has sparked a backlash, with some Japanese media outlets calling for an immediate [...]