Seoul: Family members of Koreans forcibly conscripted by Japan during World War II have filed a lawsuit seeking the removal of the names of the deceased from a controversial Japanese shrine that honors war criminals, civic groups said Tuesday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, ten bereaved family members of Korean soldiers and civilian employees filed the suit earlier in the day with the Seoul Central District Court. They are seeking not only the removal of the names from Yasukuni Shrine but also damages totaling 880 million won (US$593,700) from the Japanese government and the entity managing the shrine.

This marks the first time a lawsuit regarding the cancellation of enshrinement at Yasukuni Shrine has been filed in a South Korean court. The shrine, located in central Tokyo, honors approximately 2.46 million Japanese war dead, including 14 Class A criminals convicted by the Allies in international tribunals for their roles in World War II.

During the period of Japan's colonial rule from 1910-45, many Koreans were forcibly mobilized for the Imperial Japanese Army. It is believed that about 20,000 Koreans are enshrined at Yasukuni Shrine. The shrine is viewed as a symbol of Japan's militaristic past, with regular visits or offerings by Japanese leaders drawing criticism from countries like South Korea and China.

The plaintiffs argue that the Japanese government violated their rights by forcibly conscripting the victims, leading to their deaths and subsequently enshrining them without consent. They claim this action infringes on their dignity as well as their freedom of religion and conscience.

"The enshrinement is not a mere religious rite for the bereaved families, but an act that subsumes the victims into a frame that glorifies Japan's war of aggression," the plaintiffs' legal counsel stated. They emphasized that the status of the deceased as 'war dead for the Emperor,' despite being driven to their deaths, must be terminated so families can remember their loved ones as they choose.

Since the enshrinement of Koreans became publicly known in the 1990s, bereaved family members have filed two lawsuits in Japanese courts seeking cancellation of enshrinement, both of which were dismissed due to the expiration of the statute of limitations. Another suit was filed in Japan by six Korean family members in September, and the case is currently pending in court.