Japan has released a pair of documents purportedly backing its claims,... that its 1965 treaty with South Korea completely settles the issue of compensation for wartime forced labor.<br />The South Korean government, however, flatly denied Japan's claims.<br />Park Hee-jun has more. The Japanese foreign ministry has revealed partial records of the negotiations leading up to the 1965 treaty normalizing relations between South Korea and Japan.<br />On Monday, it released to correspondents two documents from the working-level negotiations that took place on May 10th, 1961.<br />They indicate that South Korea demanded compensation from Japan... for people who suffered mental and physical pain caused by forced labor under Japan's colonial rule.<br />They also show that the South Korean delegation demanded compensation at the national level,... after which payments would be distributed according to the victims' needs.<br /><br />The Japanese government is using this to claim that the treaty clearly includes compensation money for the victims of forced labor,... and thus completely and finally settles the issue.<br />It also says... that contradicts South Korea's argument that there are still outstanding claims for compensation from individuals.<br /><br />Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Tuesday... that these documents have been revealed before and that they contain nothing new.<br />But he said Japan will continue releasing such documents to support its argument that South Korea is violating international law.<br /><br />To this, Seoul's foreign ministry clarified in a statement Tuesday... that not only is there nothing new about the records... the Supreme Court considered that very information in ordering Japanese companies to compensate the victims.<br />It also reiterated that the top court ruled that the treaty does not cover compensation... and that it honors the court's final decision.<br /><br />Park Hee-jun, Arirang News.<br />
