Lawyers push to sell Mitsubishi assets in forced labour case amid South Korea-Japan trade dispute
- cheersMitsubishi is among the Japanese companies ordered to compensate South Koreans, leading to fraught bilateral relations and Tokyo’s restrictions on hi-tech exports to Seoul
- There are no signs of any resolution to the feud, which could threaten global supplies of microchips and smartphone displays
The lawyers had set Monday as the deadline for Mitsubishi Heavy to agree to compensation talks, but the deadline passed with “no response or action from the company,” they said in a statement.
“Being over 90 years of age, the plaintiffs cannot delay legally stipulated procedures any longer,” the lawyers said.
The lawyers said they will file a request in the coming days for sale of the seized assets to secure compensation money.
“Being over 90 years of age, the plaintiffs cannot delay legally stipulated procedures any longer,” the lawyers said.
The company has refused to comply with the order, however, as Japan has taken the position that the issue has been settled under a 1965 bilateral accord on property claims signed alongside a treaty that established diplomatic ties.
In Tokyo, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono urged the South Korean government not to allow the asset sale, saying that “we would need to take necessary measures if actual harm comes to Japanese companies”.