The Views of Korean International Law Scholars Regarding the 2012 Supreme Court Decisions on Compensation for Forced Labor

Among the victims of the Japanese occupation of Korea were those who were forced to work for Japanese corporations against their will by the Japanese government. After unsuccessfully seeking recourse in Japanese courts, some forced labor victims filed suit in Korean courts, seeking compensation from the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Corporation and the New Nippon Steel Corporation. In two groundbreaking decisions, the Supreme Court of Korea ruled in favor of the plaintiffs on May 24, 2012. This note offers non-Korean readers a survey of the views of Korean international law scholars on the issues and implications of the Court’s rulings.