SEOUL: South Korea announced plans on Monday to resolve a long-running dispute on compensating people who were forced to carry out labour work by Japan during World War II.
The move comes as Seoul seeks closer ties with Tokyo to counter Pyongyang.
South Korea and Japan are key regional allies of the United States, but their bilateral relations have long been strained over Tokyo’s suppressive 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean peninsula.
Japan conscripted around 780,000 Koreans into forced labour during the 35-year occupation, as per Seoul’s figures, excluding women who were forced into sexual slavery by Japanese forces.
Foreign Minister Park Jin presented plans for a South Korean foundation to compensate victims of forced labour and their families, saying: “I hope Japan will positively respond to our this decision today with Japanese firms’ voluntary contributions and a comprehensive apology.”
It was previously reported by Japanese media that its firms could voluntarily provide donations, while Japan is also expected to express remorse over the matter.
Japan-S. Korea 1965 treaty
Japan insists that a treaty in 1965 which saw the two countries restore diplomatic relations with a reparations package worth $800 million in grants and cheap loans resolved all matters between the two countries relating to the colonial period.
The new plan will use a local foundation to accept donations from major South Korean companies which benefitted from Japan’s 1965 reparations package to compensate the victims.
Park said the landmark deal was imperative to improving ties between Tokyo and Seoul. — AFP/APP
