South Korean plaintiffs in a World War Two forced labor case have filed a request to seize Nippon Steel’s assets in South Korea, according to legal representatives. The application, submitted to Daegu District Court on December 31, seeks to confiscate the company’s 30% stake in a joint venture with POSCO, valued at approximately 11 billion won ($9.83 million).
The move follows a 2018 South Korean Supreme Court ruling that ordered Nippon Steel to compensate four former laborers with 100 million won each for wartime forced labor. Japan has consistently maintained that all wartime reparations were resolved through a 1965 treaty, which normalized diplomatic ties between the two nations.
Lawyers representing the plaintiffs criticized Nippon Steel’s refusal to comply with the court order, calling its stance "careless and inhumane." The company has yet to publicly address the asset seizure request, though it previously described the ruling as "extremely regrettable" and stated it would review the decision.
The dispute has reignited tensions between Seoul and Tokyo, with similar legal actions targeting other Japanese firms like Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. South Korean media reported that plaintiffs in those cases are also exploring asset seizures, including patent rights, against Japanese companies.
A Daegu court confirmed receipt of the asset seizure application, but Nippon Steel’s office remained unreachable. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries also did not respond to requests for comment.
