Japan summons S. Korean envoy for third time in 9 months over wartime forced labor issue
- 5 years ago
Japan's foreign ministry has summoned South Korea's ambassador to Tokyo for the THIRD TIME in nine months... to lodge a complaint over the countries' continuing dispute over the wartime forced labor issue.
The summons came on Friday morning,... less than 24 hours after Tokyo's self-imposed deadline passed for Seoul to respond to its request to form a third-party arbitration panel on the issue.
Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono told Seoul's envoy Nam Gwan-pyo that Tokyo regretted South Korea's decision.
The South Korean government had been saying it would reject the demand, insisting the issue should be resolved through two-way talks, rather than a dispute settlement process that includes a third-country.
Now Tokyo's deadline has come and gone, there's speculation Japan might take the case to the International Court of Justice.
But Japanese media outlets say a decision on that won't be made right away.
The issue has strained ties since a series of rulings by South Korean courts ordered Japanese firms to compensate former forced laborers.
The summons came on Friday morning,... less than 24 hours after Tokyo's self-imposed deadline passed for Seoul to respond to its request to form a third-party arbitration panel on the issue.
Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono told Seoul's envoy Nam Gwan-pyo that Tokyo regretted South Korea's decision.
The South Korean government had been saying it would reject the demand, insisting the issue should be resolved through two-way talks, rather than a dispute settlement process that includes a third-country.
Now Tokyo's deadline has come and gone, there's speculation Japan might take the case to the International Court of Justice.
But Japanese media outlets say a decision on that won't be made right away.
The issue has strained ties since a series of rulings by South Korean courts ordered Japanese firms to compensate former forced laborers.