S. Korean President Yoon to visit Japan next Thursday
Yoon's two-day visit to Japan would come after South Korea on Monday announced its plan for settling a wartime labor compensation dispute with Tokyo.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said at a press conference Thursday that South Korea is Japan's «important partner working together to respond to various challenges in the international community.»
Matsuno, the top government spokesman, said Yoon's visit will likely further develop bilateral ties.
Under the plan, a South Korean government-backed foundation will pay compensation to Korean plaintiffs who won lawsuits over alleged forced labor during Japan's 1910-1945 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula instead of the Japanese companies that were sued.
Kishida hailed the plan by South Korea, saying it will help restore «healthy» relations between Tokyo and Seoul, which frayed under the previous administration of President Moon Jae In.
Bilateral ties plunged to the lowest point in decades after South Korea's top court in 2018 ordered two Japanese companies -- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. and Nippon Steel Corp. -- to compensate the plaintiffs.
However, Yoon has been trying to improve ties with Japan since taking office last year while strengthening military cooperation with the United States amid growing security threats from North Korea.
