The South Korean government has refrained from directly commenting on a Seoul court ruling that dismissed a damages suit brought on by Korean victims of Japan’s wartime sexual slavery. 

The Foreign Ministry relayed the stance on Wednesday, saying it is in the process of grasping the details of the court decision. 

It reiterated its principle that the government will do what it can to restore the honor and dignity of the victims of Japan’s wartime sexual enslavement in a victim-centered approach. 

The ministry described the issue as unprecedented wartime human rights infringements on women and a breach of universal human rights. 

It then urged the Japanese government to act correspondingly to the spirit of the sense of responsibility, apology and self-reflection it revealed on the matter before, including through the 1993 Kono Statement and the 2015 Seoul-Tokyo agreement. 

Earlier in the day, the Seoul Central District Court dismissed the case filed by 20 victims and their families in 2016, citing sovereign immunity.