South Korea's top court orders a 3rd Japanese company to compensate workers for forced labor

South Korea’s top court has ordered a third Japanese company to compensate some of its former wartime Korean employees for forced labor

SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korea’s top court on Thursday ordered a third Japanese company to compensate some of its former wartime Korean employees for forced labor, the second such ruling in a week.

The South Korean verdict drew quick rebukes from Japan, but observers say it’s unlikely the ruling will cause any major negative impacts on bilateral relations, as both governments are serious about improving their cooperation in the face of shared challenges like North Korea's nuclear program and China's assertiveness.

The Supreme Court ruled that shipbuilder Hitachi Zosen Corp. and heavy equipment manufacturer Mitsubishi Heavy Industries must give between 50 million won (about $39,000) and 150 million won (about $116,000) in compensation to each of the 17 Korean plaintiffs — one of whom is a surviving ex-worker and the rest bereaved relatives.

Mitsubishi and another Japanese company, Nippon Steel, were previously given a similar compensation order by the South Korean court, but it was the first such ruling for Hitachi.

Among the plaintiffs are the surviving victim who suffered a serious burn and the bereaved family of a worker who died during an earthquake in Japan in 1944, when they worked for Mitsubishi’s aircraft-making factory in Nagoya. Others include the relatives of late Mitsubishi workers who were injured during the U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima and another wartime event, according to a court press release.