South korea took a step forward improving the ties with their traditional rival japan on monday, announcing a plan     to compensate Koreans who performed forced labor during Tokyo’s colonial rule that doesn’t require Japanese companies to contribute to the reparations. 

    The plan reflects conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol’s push to mend frayed ties with japan and solidify security cooperation among Seoul, Tokyo and Washington to better cope with North Korea’s nuclear threats. President Joe Biden quickly hailed it as “a groundbreaking new chapter” of cooperation between two of the United States’ closest allies. The South Korean plan, which relies on money raised in South Korea, drew immediate, domestic backlash from former forced laborers and their supporters. They’ve demanded direct compensation from the Japanese companies and a fresh apology from the Japanese government.

Ties between Seoul and Tokyo have long been complicated by grievances related to Japan’s brutal rule of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945, when hundreds of thousands of Koreans were mobilized as forced laborers for Japanese companies, or sex slaves at Tokyo’s military-run brothels during World War II.

Many forced laborers are already dead and survivors are in their 90s. Among the 15 victims involved in 2018 South Korean court rulings that ordered two Japanese companies — Nippon Steel and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries — to compensate them, only three are still alive and they are all in their 90s.

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  • I think that by improving their ties with thier rival countries will benefit them. I think that if they present it to the other contries they will agree with them. But first they need to make sure everybody agrees so nobody gets in fights or even wars. But overall this will help the contries.

  • Yes, I think that this will be a good idea for both countries.  Both of the countries are very small in land mass yet, very strong.  I think this will help the economy of both of these countries significantly.  I also think that this will benefit the laborers of both countries.

  • I believe that improving the ties with rival countries is a good idea and benefits both countries. But before doing it, they need to make sure that everybody agrees with it. I think this is going to help Japan and South Korea to reinforce their relationship and get along better.

  • Compensating them would be good. I also think that a fresh apology is a good idea. I think this because when would it be a bad idea for apologising. I think that compensation is a good idea because if they deserve compensation then they deserve it so let them have what they deserve.

  • I think that making amends with a country who you've had a rival with is never a bad idea. But in doing that you need to make sure that everyone can agree on how the healing process needs to happen. This just shows that it's never too late to make a change in your life for the better.

  • I think healing forces with any rival isn't a bad idea. However, both parties must agree on healing the rivalry. Although Japan and South Korea have been rivals for a long time, I don;t think it is ever too late to reconcile. As long as both countries agree, maybe South Korea and Japan can get along better in the future.

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