South Korea announces plan to resolve wartime labor dispute with Japan

South Korea on Monday unveiled a plan to resolve a long-running wartime labor dispute with Japan – a move hailed by Tokyo – bringing the two neighbors closer to a major improvement in relations marred by years of mistrust and historical grievances.

South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin announced the plan at a press conference, saying that the funds were intended to compensate wartime workers under Japan’s 1910-1945 colonization. of the Korean peninsula would be collected through “voluntary” private sector donations and paid to a South Korean institution rather than to Japanese companies.

“The government hopes to work with Japan, our closest neighbor, who shares the universal values ​​of liberal democracies, market economies, rule of law and human rights amid the increasingly dangerous situation on the Korean Peninsula and amid the current grave international situation,” Park said in prepared remarks.