SEOUL -- As South Korea prepares to meet with Japan and the U.S. at the upcoming Group of Seven summit, a court here on Monday dismissed a wartime compensation suit against Japanese companies in a potential step toward thawing ties with Tokyo.
The Seoul Central District Court on Monday dismissed a lawsuit by those who claim that they were forced to work for Japanese companies during World War II and their families. Eighty-five former laborers and family members initially filed the case in May 2015, each seeking roughly 100 million won ($90,000) from a total of 16 Japanese companies, including Nippon Steel, Eneos and Nishimatsu Construction.
