Japan, S. Korea Affirm Close Contact over Wartime Labor Issue

Munich, Feb. 18 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and his South Korean counterpart, Park Jin, agreed Saturday that the two nations will keep close communication at all diplomatic levels to resolve the wartime labor issue at an early time in order to bring the soured bilateral relations back on track.

The South Korean government last month announced a draft plan for a domestic foundation to pay compensation to South Korean plaintiffs in related lawsuits on behalf of defendant Japanese companies. Seoul is talking with the plaintiffs about the plan.

Park explained progress in the discussions to Hayashi at their meeting in the southern German city of Munich.

Hayashi and Park exchanged views on Japan's response sought by the Sough Korean side, such as the continuation of the apology that the Japanese government expressed in the past over the issue of Koreans who were requisitioned to work for Japanese companies during World War II.

According to South Korea's Yonhap News Agency, Park told reporters after the meeting that he urged the Japanese side to make "a political decision" for a sincere response.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]