Korean women demand Japan compensate them for forced labor during WWII

Korean women plaintiffs, lawyers, and their supporters on June 13 visited Japan's Cabinet Office and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. to demand an early settlement of their lawsuit on forced labor during World War II.

They also requested that the Cabinet Office set up a special department to deal with this problem.

Eight Korean women have sued the Japanese government and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries over their forced labor during WWII, demanding an apology and compensation from them.

During World War II, Korean women were induced to go to Japan for forced labor at an aircraft-manufacturing plant in Nagoya City by an empty promise that they would be allowed to go to school and make money.

A 71-year-old plaintiff said, "We were abused and given only a potato and a pickled plum a day. We were on the verge of starvation."

The plaintiffs said they were unable to receive medical treatment after the war because they did not get a postwar compensation and that they were even discriminated against as a result of being mistaken for military comfort women (sex slaves). (end)