Majority in S. Korea Oppose Wartime Labor Solution

Seoul, March 10 (Jiji Press)--A survey by a South Korean television broadcaster showed Friday that 53.1 pct of respondents do not support Seoul's plan to resolve the thorny issue of wartime labor with Tokyo.

Only 39.8 pct supported the plan announced Monday, according to the survey conducted by Korean Broadcasting System for two days from Tuesday.

Under the plan, devised by the South Korean government, an existing foundation would pay compensation on behalf of Japanese companies for wartime labor provided by requisitioned Koreans.

The survey also found that 46.1 pct believe the plan would benefit future-oriented South Korea-Japan relations, while 51.5 pct answered the opposite.

According to the survey, 72.5 pct of respondents think that the foundation should exercise its right to seek compensation from the Japanese companies, which are under court orders to pay damages to plaintiffs in the wartime labor lawsuits. The South Korean government says it does not expect the foundation to use the right.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]