On Thursday, December 11, 2025, the Supreme Court of the Republic of Korea upheld a lower court’s ruling that orders Nippon Steel Corp. to pay 100 million won (around $67,900) to the family of Jeong Hyeong-pal, who was forced into labor at a steel mill in Japan’s Iwate Prefecture from 1940 to 1942.
The decision confirms an appellate court’s 2024 ruling and marks the first time since the landmark 2018 Supreme Court verdict that Japanese companies are held liable for forced labor during Japan’s 1910–1945 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.
Jeong’s four children filed their lawsuit in 2019 seeking 200 million won in compensation. While Nippon Steel argued that the statute of limitations had lapsed, the court agreed that legal barriers removed by the 2018 ruling no longer apply.
Since the 2018 decision, courts in the Republic of Korea have ruled in favor of dozens of forced-labor victims, signaling a broader push for historical accountability. For businesses and policymakers, these cases underscore the growing impact of corporate responsibility on unresolved colonial-era grievances.
For young global citizens and changemakers, this verdict highlights how legal systems can drive social change and address historical injustices. As debates continue across Asia, the ruling sets a precedent for survivors and their families seeking redress.
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S. Korea court orders Nippon Steel to compensate forced-labor victim
cgtn.com
