South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said Wednesday that his country and Japan can solve issues stemming from Japan's colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula in an amicable manner through "concession and understanding."
Yoon's remarks come amid speculation that South Korea's top court may soon — possibly within days — finalize a court decision ordering the liquidation of Japanese corporate assets sought by plaintiffs who have won damages in wartime labor cases, a move that many fear will rupture the countries' already strained ties.
Yoon also signaled his administration's readiness to heed concerns on the Japanese side about the envisioned asset sell-off, saying that Seoul is considering ways to compensate plaintiffs "without clashing with the issue of sovereignty Japan is worried about."