Cheongju: The family of a late comfort woman has secured a significant legal victory in a damages suit against the Japanese government, as confirmed by a local court. The Cheongju District Court ruled in favor of Lee Man-young, the son of the late Gil Gap-soon, ordering Japan to compensate 200 million won (approximately US$139,000).
According to Yonhap News Agency, this ruling marks the third instance where a Korean court has acknowledged the Japanese government's responsibility in compensating comfort women victims and their families. The plaintiff's attorney highlighted that both nations are signatories to the Hague Convention, which recognizes mutual judicial jurisdiction. Although the official ruling is yet to be received, it appears the court accepted these arguments, recognizing Japan's liability.
Gil Gap-soon, born in 1924 in Muju, was taken to Nagasaki, Japan, in 1941 at the age of 17 and forced to live as a comfort woman. She passed away in 1998 at the age of 74 due to acute lung cancer. Her son initiated the lawsuit in January of the previous year, with the ruling delivered after just two hearings. The Japanese government was notably absent from court proceedings until the verdict was announced.
In reaction to the ruling, the Japanese government expressed strong regret, labeling the decision as a violation of international law and bilateral agreements between South Korea and Japan. Japan further escalated the matter by summoning the South Korean ambassador to register their protest.
This case follows a notable pattern of legal actions in South Korea regarding comfort women. In 2023, the Seoul High Court reversed a lower court's dismissal of a lawsuit involving 16 plaintiffs, including survivor Lee Yong-soo, and families of the late Kwak Ye-nam and Kim Bok-dong, dismissing the sovereign immunity defense and ordering Japan to compensate each plaintiff 200 million won. Similarly, in 2021, the Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of 12 victims, mandating Japan to pay 100 million won to each plaintiff.