Seoul says Japan inaction means ‘comfort women’ court ruling upheld

A South Korean court ruling in favor of a group of 16 women who were forced to work in Japanese wartime brothels was confirmed on Saturday by Japan’s decision not to appeal the verdict, Seoul’s foreign ministry said.
An appellate court in South Korea last month ordered Japan to compensate the 16 “comfort women”, overturning a lower court ruling that had dismissed the case.
Appeals must be filed within two weeks after a court’s written judgment, which made Friday the deadline.
“Comfort women” is a Japanese euphemism for those forced to work in its wartime brothels during its 1910-45 colonisation of the Korean peninsula and has been a point of contention between the countries for decades.
Under conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol, Seoul and Tokyo have sought to improve relations dogged by historical disputes stemming from Japan’s colonial rule.
South Korea’s foreign ministry said in a statement it would continue efforts to recover the honor and dignity of “comfort women” while seeking future-oriented cooperation with Japan.