South Korea and Japan have a complicated history, and the relationship is increasingly important to the United States.
The president of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol said Japan has “transformed from a militaristic aggressor of the past into a partner.”
He made the case that closer cooperation between Seoul and Tokyo can help on issues from regional security to South Korean economic prosperity.
Yoon made his remarks on “Independence Movement Day”— marking a milestone in the painful history of the countries: the birth of a Korean independence movement in 1919.
Japan ruled Korea as a colony from 1910 to 1945 — and scars linger.
Japanese troops forced Korean women into sexual slavery during WWII. Other Koreans were forced to perform wartime labor for Japanese companies.
Demands for an apology continue, along with a call for reparations.
In 2018, South Korea's Supreme Court held Japanese companies liable for damages.
Japan rejects that ruling, saying the issue was settled when the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1965.
Meanwhile, the corporate sector is moving ahead with cooperation.
Just this week, Korean battery maker LG Energy Solution held a ceremony with Honda Motor on a joint project: a $4.4 billion battery plant for electric vehicles, breaking ground in Ohio.
