South Korea Announces Deal on Japan Forced Labor Dispute

Image copyright: Reuters [via The Wall Street Journal]

The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

This deal is a step toward justice for South Korean victims of Japanese forced labor. While it would be nice for Japanese firms to voluntarily support the foundation benefiting the victims, the most important thing at this point is that Japan is sincerely reasserting its previous apologies and survivors are receiving their compensation.

Establishment-critical narrative

This deal is only a victory for Japan, as the nation will avoid paying a single yen to the victims of its forced labor practices, while the companies that benefited from them will face no legal consequences for their war crimes. This is submissive diplomacy meant to patch up relations between Japan and South Korea, but this half-cooked attempt to resolve the biggest humiliation and disappointment in Korea's history will never be accepted by Seoul.


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