Historical Issues between Korea and Japan and Judicial Activism: Focus on the Recent Supreme Court Decision on Japanese Forced Labor

The Supreme Court decision regarding "Compensation for Forced Labor" concerns the victims of forced labor who were employed by Japanese munitions companies for the production of weapons during the colonial era. The victims filed a damage suit against these companies for unlawful acts and for the payment of unpaid wages, for which the Supreme Court upheld their right to compensation and payment of wages. This article describes the progress leading up to these decisions, discusses their significance, and evaluates the implications of judicial activism in these issues that concern Korea's colonial past.