Ruling party proposes discussion on special bill to compensate forced labor victims

By Kim Na-young

SEOUL, March 8 (Yonhap) -- The ruling People Power Party (PPP) proposed Wednesday that the rival parties begin discussions to enact a special law on compensating victims of Japan's wartime forced labor, a move aimed at backing up the government's decision to compensate victims on its own.

Rep. Chung Jin-suk made the remark in a TV interview, proposing talks on a proposal that former National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang put forward in 2019 in an effort to help resolve the forced labor row with Japan.

The proposal calls for collecting funds from companies, the governments and public donations from the two countries and compensating forced labor victims through a foundation. That proposal was also dubbed in the media as the "2 plus 2 plus alpha" idea.

"Former Speaker Moon initiated a special bill, but then Cheong Wa Dae of President Moon Jae-in didn't even take a look and no discussions took place between the ruling and opposition parties," Chung said. "At that time, many lawmakers of the Democratic Party said this is a practical alternative."

Chung's proposal came two days after the government of President Yoon Suk Yeol announced a decision to compensate forced labor victims through a foundation to be set up with public donations, rather than money from Japanese companies.

But chances are slim of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) agreeing to Chung's offer as the opposition party has strongly lambasted the government's decision as the worst humiliation that the country has ever seen.

Civic groups and some victims have also rejected the government's decision.

"It is OK for the Democratic Party to criticize the government's view, but I want to appeal to them to put forward an alternative," Chung said. "Fanning anti-Japanese sentiment without proposing an alternative for partisan interests is not conducive to national interests."

nyway@yna.co.kr
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