Regarding the issue of compensation for victims of forced labor during the Japanese colonial period, Korean Ambassador to Japan Yoon Deok-min said, “Japan has a culture of ‘throwing it into the water’, but Korea is different.”
In an interview with the Tokyo Shimbun on the 7th, Ambassador Yun said, “The Japanese side needs to show an attitude of taking another step,” referring to the Korean government’s announcement of a solution to compensation for conscription and Japan’s response to it.
He added, “What victims of (forced conscription) want is not money, but sincere healing.”
Ambassador Yoon said, “I want you to think about how the Korean people will accept (Japan’s response),” and expressed his desire for Japanese companies to make donations to a Korean government-affiliated foundation that will pay judgments to victims of conscription on behalf of Japanese defendant companies.
In response to the point that ‘geopolitical risks are growing in Northeast Asia’, Ambassador Yoon said, “It is not good for Korea and Japan, which share the values of liberal democracy, to confront each other over historical issues.” It is in our interest to ensure that stability is not threatened.”
He then appealed, “To respond to North Korea’s nuclear and missile provocations, President Yoon Seok-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida promote a’strategic relationship’ to strengthen Korea-US-Japan security cooperation with the US Joe Biden administration.”
Regarding cooperation between Korea and Japan in the field of economic security, Ambassador Yoon said, “In the field of semiconductors, Korea is strong in finished products and Japan is strong in equipment and materials, so the two countries have a complementary relationship.” It will be effective in China as well.”
“The two countries have been stagnant in economic exchanges such as mutual investment for the past few years,” he added.
Source: Donga
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