Regarding the government-announced solution for compensation for victims of forced labor during the Japanese colonial period, Seok Dong-hyeon, secretary general of the National Democratic Peace Unification Advisory Council (Democratic Peace Tongtong), known as President Yoon Seok-yeol’s “40-year-old friend,” said, “Among the countries that were under colonial rule, they are still scolding for an apology or compensation. is anywhere other than Korea,” he said on the 7th. Regarding this, the Democratic Party criticized it as “absurd remarks that humiliate the people.”
Director Seok emphasized this in an article posted on Facebook that day, saying, “Let’s stop asking for reflection or apology from Japan.” “It’s not like the Japanese emperor or prime minister didn’t apologize. I’ve done it many times, but it’s not sincere, and I demand it again and again… Even after 100 years have passed, will I still be tugging at the crotch of my pants?”
Regarding the solution to ‘third-party reimbursement’ through a foundation in Korea proposed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the day before, Minister Seok said, “That method is not a swarm law, but a solution that conforms to international law.” He added, “It does not mean that the state arbitrarily deprives individual citizens of their right to make claims, but rather, it should be understood as the concept that the state compensates individuals instead of prohibiting individual citizens from exercising their claims for the greater good.”
In addition, “the exhausting controversy and national loss caused by a single ruling, which was made by one Supreme Court judge, who was brave due to his ignorance, as if he was doing an independence movement (?) without referring to the Supreme Court’s enactment and without consulting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the International Law Association, etc., was too great. He criticized the Supreme Court ruling in 2018.
Regarding this, Lee Su-jin, spokesperson for the Democratic Party, said at a briefing at the National Assembly, “I feel humiliated that Korea is ‘a country that wastes money on Japan’ and criticizes it as a terrible reckless remark that casts doubt on the national view and historical view.” He also said, “Chief Seok’s sophistry took away the logic of the Japanese far-right, seeking responsibility for compensation for forced labor in South Korea, not Japan.”
Then, in-house spokesperson Lee urged resignation while criticizing, “No matter how much the president’s friend of 40 years is, he can insult the people of the Republic of Korea by covering up the president’s diplomatic disaster.”
On this day, when the question, “Is there any country other than Korea that curses for an apology or compensation?” became controversial, it was later corrected to “a country demanding an apology or compensation.”
Reporter Yumi Seo
