Rebutting the Japanese government's decision to appeal against the Osaka District Court's ruling that Japan continue paying allowances to a South Korean victim of the atomic bomb dropped in Hiroshima during World War II despite his return to South Korea late 1998, the local bar association in Taegu said Saturday the Japanese government should make an apology to the victim and follow the Osaka court's decision.The Osaka court ruled earlier in the month that the Osaka city government pay Kwak Kwi-hoon, 76, 2 million yen in allowances, saying it is unjust for the local government to discontinue payments because of his return to South Korea.
Welcoming the Osaka court's ruling, the association expressed concern that the delayed trial in Kwak's case due to the Japanese government's appeal could not benefit him because of his advanced age.
It also called on the South Korean government to press Japan to drop the appeal through diplomatic channels, keeping in mind the suffering of the atomic bomb victims living in the country.