REUTERS/Jason Reed/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSEOUL, Nov 23 (Reuters) - A South Korean appellate court on Thursday ordered Japan to compensate a group of 16 women who were forced to work in Japanese wartime brothels, overturning a lower court ruling that dismissed the case and prompting a stern protest from Tokyo.
In response to the court's decision, Japanese vice minister for foreign affairs Masataka Okano summoned South Korean ambassador Yun Dukmin to lodge a "strong protest".
The Seoul High Court, however, reversed the lower court's decision, recognising the jurisdiction of South Korean courts over the Japanese government as a defendant.
In a statement, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa said the judgment went against international law and agreements between the two countries, calling it "extremely regrettable and absolutely unacceptable."
South Korea's foreign ministry said it was looking into details of the latest ruling, without elaborating.
Persons:
Jason Reed, Yoon Suk Yeol, Fumio Kishida, Masataka Okano, Yun Dukmin, Yoko Kamikawa, Lee Yong, I'm, 1,294.3500, Hyonhee Shin, Chang, Ran Kim, Makiko Yamazaki, Ed Davies, Simon Cameron, Moore, Sharon Singleton
Organizations:
REUTERS, Rights, South, Seoul Central, Court, Seoul High Court, Thomson
Locations:
Sydney, Australia, Korea, Rights SEOUL, Japan, Tokyo, South Korean, Seoul, South, Republic of Korea