A group of South Korean plaintiffs are pushing to seize the Korea-based assets of a Japanese steelmaker over Tokyo's policy of forcing Koreans to labor for little to no pay during its colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.<br />In the latest development in a situation that's driving even more of a diplomatic wedge between Seoul and Tokyo,... a South Korean court said on Tuesday that it's proceeding with measures to help the plaintiffs. <br />Kim Hyo-sun reports. <br />A local court has approved the seizure of the Korea-based assets of Japanese steelmaker Nippon Steel and Sumitomo Metal Corporation as requested by the South Korean victims of Tokyo's wartime forced labor. <br />On December 31st, the victims' attorneys applied to the Daegu District Court for the seizure of over 81-thousand shares held by the company in PNR, its Korea-based joint venture with Korea's largest steelmaker, POSCO.<br />The Japanese steelmaker is estimated to hold around two-point-three-four million shares of PNR, worth around ten million U.S. dollars. <br />The move comes as the firm refused to abide by the South Korean top court's order to compensate the victims of Japan's forced labor. <br />In October last year, the Supreme Court ordered the Japanese company to pay nearly 90-thousand dollars in compensation to each of the four victims.<br />According to Japanese broadcaster NHK, Nippon Steel and Sumitomo Metal plans to consult with the Japanese government over Tuesday's verdict. <br />Kim Hyo-sun, Arirang News. <br />
