日本と「向き合う準備ある」　徴用工問題で協議呼び掛け―韓国大統領

　【ソウル時事】韓国の文在寅大統領は１５日、ソウルで開かれた日本の植民地支配からの解放を記念する「光復節」の式典で演説した。文氏は元徴用工問題をめぐり「いつでも日本政府と向き合う準備ができている」と述べ、日本との協議を通じて問題解決を図る考えを改めて強調した。ただ、具体的な解決策には触れておらず、協議が進展するかは不透明だ。
　新日鉄住金（現日本製鉄）に賠償を命じた韓国最高裁判決をめぐっては、日本製鉄が７日、韓国内資産差し押さえ命令に対し、即時抗告した。日韓関係に「深刻な状態を招く」とされる「現金化」は年末以降になる見通しだが、資産売却手続きは着実に進みつつある。
　文氏はこの日の演説で、最高裁判決は「韓国の領土内で最高の法的権威と執行力を有する」と指摘。「政府は司法の判決を尊重し、日本政府と協議してきた。今も協議の扉を開いている」と強調し、従来表明してきた司法手続きに介入しない立場を繰り返した。（2020/08/15-11:21）

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Saturday reiterated his stance of trying to resolve the dispute over wartime requisitioned labor with Japan through dialogue.
   "My administration is ready to sit down with the Japanese government at any time to discuss" the wartime labor issue, Moon said in a speech at a ceremony in Seoul to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Korean Peninsula from Japanese colonial rule, according to an unofficial translation in English of his remarks released on the website of the Blue House.
   As Moon failed to mention any specific solutions, however, critics say it remains uncertain whether there will be progress in efforts to resolve the matter.
   After South Korea's Supreme Court ordered Nippon Steel Corp. in 2018 to pay compensation to South Koreans requisitioned to work for the company during World War II, a South Korean district court issued an order to seize assets held by Nippon Steel in South Korea. The Japanese company filed an immediate appeal against the order.
   The procedures to convert Nippon Steel assets into cash are advancing steadily, although they are not expected to be completed until the end of 2020 or later. The Japanese government has warned that the conversion into cash would create a serious situation.