Seoul court rejects Koreans’ claim for compensation from Japanese companies for slave labor during colonial occupation

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A South Korean court has rejected a claim by dozens of wartime Korean factory workers and their relatives who sought compensation from Japanese companies for their slave labor before the end of World War II. The decision by the Seoul Central District Court appeared to run against landmark Supreme Court rulings in 2018 that sided with forced laborers. It largely aligns with a position maintained by Tokyo, which has insisted that all wartimes compensation issues were settled under a 1965 treaty normalizing relations. The Asian U.S allies have faced pressure from the Biden administration to repair their relations that sank to post-war lows during the Trump years over history and trade disputes.