SEOUL (SOUTH KOREA) – On the 75th anniversary of the surrender of Japan in World War II, South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in said Seoul was willing to talk with Tokyo and resolve the disputes over history.
He was speaking at the celebration marking the liberation of the Korean peninsula from Japanese occupation.
Japan and South Korea have strained ties since the 2018 verdict of the Seoul supreme court ordering a Japanese steel-making firm to pay compensation for forced labour during World War II.
The court ordered Nippon Steel Corp to pay 100 million won (64,391.8 pounds) each to four South Koreans as compensation for forced labour during Japanese occupation.
“We have been holding discussions with the Japanese government on an amicable solution that the victims can agree on,” said Moon. “The door for negotiation is still wide open.”
Tokyo views the ruling of the Seoul court as violation of international law, arguing that all claims for compensation were settled under the diplomatic treaty with South Korea in 1965.
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field