South Korea unveils plan to compensate Second World War forced labourers

South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin, right, leaves after a briefing announcing a plan on Monday to resolve a dispute over compensating people forced to work under Japan’s 1910-1945 occupation of Korea (Kim Hong-Ji/AP)

South Korea announced a contentious plan to raise local civilian funds to compensate Koreans who won damages in lawsuits against Japanese companies that enslaved them during the Second World War.

The plan reflects conservative South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s determination to mend frayed ties with Japan and solidify a trilateral Seoul-Tokyo-Washington security cooperation to better cope with North Korea’s nuclear threats.