No.8

November 2, 1959

PRESS RELEASE
The Problem of Korean Residents in Japan
KOREAN CONSULATE GENERAL
HONG KONG
In a sincere desire to settle once and for all the problem of Korean residents in Japan at the resumed fourth Korea-Japan overall talks, our Government takes the position that it is ready to receive, or even encourage, mass repatriation of Korean residents in Japan to the Republic of Korea, regardless of their political affiliations, only if the Japanese Government meets two conditions.
Firstly, in view of the special historical background of Korean residents in Japan -- their forced immigration into Japan and also forced labour in Japanese war industries in the past -- the Japanese Government should pay due compensation. Such compensation fund will be used for repatriation to and resettlement in the Republic of Korea of the repatriates.
Secondly, the repatriates should be free to take away all their properties with them without limitation as to the value and amount, and without customs duties or any other charges being imposed upon such properties.
In setting forth this position, our Government considered that only this kind of solution will bring about a substantial reduction of the number of korean residents in Japan, Which is obviously the real purpose of the Japanese Government in contriving the deportation scheme, and that, therefore, the problem of Korean residents in Japan will be settled to the satisfaction of the two Governments involved as well as in the interests of Korean residents affected.
Only after the solution of this problem, the other problems of those who wish to reside continuously in Japan and of those who neither wish to be repatriated to the Republic of Korea nor to remain in Japan, will be easily settled.
(II)
Based on the above position, our Government has exerted, at the talks resumed, every effort possible to solve the residents' issue as early as possible. The Japanese Government, while agreeing to the principle that all the questions concerning Korean residents in Japan should be taken up as agenda items at the talks, is nevertheless proceeding to implement the deportation scheme in spite of enormous difficulties which have arisen out of the Communists' continuous demand for revision of the so-called "Guide Book for Returnees."
At THE COMMITTEE ON the problem of Korean Residents, the Japanese side 30 far showed no, concrete sincerity. On the other hand, they pressed for the opening of THE COMMITTEE ON fisheries and Peace Line, while their fishing boats en masse are intentionally violating the Peace Line. Despite all these facts, our delegation agreed, in the hope of reaching an overall settlement of the pending issues between the Republic of Korea and Japan, to the opening of the said Committee.
(III)
Our Government is exerting every possible effort to expedite the solution of the problem of Korean residents in Japan and in this spirit, it sets forth only minimum conditions as mentioned above. If Japan has a sincere desire to solve the residents' problem, it can easily agree to these conditions.
It is unreasonable, and contrary to general diplomatic practice, for the Japanese Government to try to dispose unilaterally of a problem which is on the agenda at the bilateral diplomatic talks.
Our Government nevertheless is seeking patiently an overall settlement of this problem in the face of this really absurd attitude on the part of the Japanese Government.
but we are not pessimistic about the out-come of the current overall talks. The Korean residents' problem should and can be settled best through the Korea-Japan overall talks and there will also be found a way of solving the other pending issues, if the two Governments make sincere and patient efforts toward this end.