The 85 victims and their family members first considered the class-action lawsuit in 2015, becoming the most significant legal action filed in
The justices took into consideration the 1965 treaty signed to normalize relations between
This treaty comprised reparations by
The court argued the 1965 treaty does not revoke the rights of the plaintiffs to receive compensation, but it does mean that their individual rights cannot be exercised through a lawsuit.
It also stated that allowing the lawsuit to proceed could result in a violation of international law.
The decision clashes with the
The 2018 ruling set off a Japanese commercial boycott against
The legal team of the plaintiffs condemned the "unfair" decision, according to the Yonhap news agency, and will submit an appeal to a higher court.
The souring of bilateral relations between the two Asian states, currently at their worst state in years, stems from disputes over the crimes committed by imperial
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