A Seoul court has ruled in favor of the victims of Japan’s wartime sexual slavery in the second damages lawsuit against Tokyo.

The Seoul High Court on Thursday overturned a lower court’s dismissal of the appeal for damages filed by 15 survivors and their families, including Lee Yong-soo and the descendants of the late Kwak Ye-nam and Kim Bok-dong.

In December 2016, 21 victims of Japan’s forced sexual slavery and their bereaved families filed a lawsuit against the Japanese government seeking a compensation of 200 million won per victim.

However, in April 2021, the Seoul Central District Court dismissed the lawsuit on the principle of “state immunity” stipulating that sovereign nations are beyond the jurisdiction of other countries.

The ruling by the Seoul High Court found that state immunity cannot be applied to Japan’s illegal acts and ruled in favor of the victims.