South Korea's foreign ministry has denied a Japanese report that the two countries are discussing the creation of an economic cooperation fund, which will resolve their long-running dispute over wartime forced labor.
The statement comes after a report by Japan's Kyodo News Agency on Monday that the two sides are considering whether to get funding from the South Korean government and companies, as well as Japanese companies.
The report claimed the fund would run under the name of "economic cooperation," not as compensation for forced labor victims,... and the Japanese government would not be involved.
Kyodo also claimed the Japanese side first suggested the draft of the fund,… and the two sides mutually agreed to chip in.
But South Korea denies the report,… insisting no such plans have been discussed.