Living hell of North Korea’s ‘paradise on Earth’ scheme back in spotlight in Japan

Between 1959 and 1984, North Korea lured over 90,000 people, mainly ethnic Koreans living in Japan, with promises of a "paradise on Earth," but instead subjected them to hardship and human rights abuses. This week, a Tokyo court ordered North Korea to pay compensation of at least 20 million yen each to four settlers who escaped back to Japan after being denied basic rights and prevented from visiting their families. The lawsuit, launched in 2018, is unlikely to result in actual payment, as North Korea is expected to ignore the ruling. The plaintiffs, among 150 escapees, sought justice for the deceptive scheme, supported by the Japanese government and the Red Cross at the time, which aimed to recruit workers and score a propaganda victory. The court's decision marks the first time a Japanese court has ruled on the matter.

A Tokyo court recently ordered North Korea to compensate Japanese citizens, awarding 22 million yen (US$144,000) each to three plaintiffs and the family of a deceased claimant. These individuals were lured to North Korea with promises of a "paradise on Earth" but later escaped and returned to Japan. North Korea did not participate in the court proceedings. The plaintiffs' lawyer anticipates North Korea will ignore the judgment and is preparing to enforce it under Japanese civil law by identifying and seizing North Korean assets in Japan. The plaintiffs are now working to create an inventory of North Korean assets within Japan to begin the seizure process.

A Tokyo court ordered North Korea to pay 88 million yen to four plaintiffs who were lured from Japan decades ago by a propaganda scheme promising an idyllic life. The plaintiffs, part of a larger resettlement program that saw over 90,000 Zainichi Koreans move to North Korea between 1959 and 1984, experienced harsh conditions, including forced labor, before eventually escaping. While a lower court initially rejected the case, citing jurisdictional issues, the Tokyo High Court later ruled in favor of the plaintiffs. This ruling marks the first time a Japanese court has recognized North Korea's malpractice in this context, though enforcing the judgment remains a significant challenge due to North Korea's lack of cooperation.