The Supreme Court of South Korea ruled in favor of victims forced into labor during Japan's 1910-1945 colonial rule, who filed compensation suits against Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. and the Hitachi Zosen Corp.
One of the victims, surnamed Hong alongside other surviving victims and families of the deceased victims, filed a suit against Mitsubishi requesting 100 million won ($77,561) each in 2013. The other suit was filed against Hitachi in 2015 by an individual surnamed Lee who suffered radiation exposure during his forced labor in Japan. South Korea and Japan signed a treaty in 1965 aimed at resolving colonial-era disputes, however, this treaty can not affect an individual's right to claim damages, which enabled the court to finalize the rulings.
The court ordered both Mitsubishi and Hitachi between 50 and 150 million won ($38,745 and $116,250) to each individual.
