The Daejeon District Court has ruled in favor of a group of former victims who were forced to work for Japan during World War II. The court ruled that four of Mitsubishi Heavy Industry’s (MHI) domestic patent rights should be seized in favor of the victims. MHI was a Japanese firm that used forced laborers during the war. The patents were granted to two surviving victims and the families of two other victims who have died. The details of the patents were not disclosed.

The Citizens’ Group for Forced Mobilization under Japanese Occupation, a civic group that represents the former victims, expressed that the victims should not delay exercising their rights any longer. This is particularly relevant because the government announced a plan to compensate the victims without Japan’s involvement, which the victims did not want. The court’s ruling means that MHI now has 12 assets undergoing compulsory enforcement procedures, including 10 patent rights and two trademark rights that they own domestically.