However, since South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol came to power last year, he has worked to quickly strengthen ties with Japan in the face of North Korean threats.
In March, Yoon unveiled a plan to compensate victims without direct involvement from Tokyo, in a move that was unpopular domestically but helped improve ties with Japan.
Since then, Yoon and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida have resumed regular high-level talks, with Yoon in Tokyo in April and Kishida travelling to Seoul last month.
Japan also this year ended export controls on materials for semiconductors destined for South Korea, while Seoul dropped a WTO complaint against Japan and has moved to normalise a military intelligence-sharing pact.
Source: CNA
