The Seoul High Court on Thursday overturned a 2021 decision by the Seoul Central District Court, which had dismissed a damages lawsuit filed by victims of Japan’s wartime sexual slavery, citing sovereign immunity. The appellate court ordered Japan to compensate each victim more than $150,000 (200 million won). The victims, often referred to as “comfort women,” had initially filed the lawsuit in 2016.

The appellate court stated that it is reasonable to recognize the jurisdiction of South Korean courts over the defendant Japanese government under customary international law. The court recognized the illegal acts committed by Japan in the mobilization