The government will consult with the public and relevant ministries to decide how to spend the remainder of a fund established to compensate Korean victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery in accordance with a 2015 bilateral agreement.

An official from the foreign ministry said on Monday that the remaining money will be spent toward fulfilling the agreement's basic spirit of restoring the victims' honor and dignity, and healing their wounds.

Explaining that the Yoon Suk Yeol administration respects the accord as an official agreement, the official expressed hope that the two nations will gain wisdom as they fulfill its objective. 

Under the 2015 deal, Japan contributed one billion yen, or ten billion won, to a South Korean foundation dedicated to supporting the victims and their families.


The liberal Moon Jae-in administration, however, announced plans to dissolve the foundation in 2018, contending that the agreement cannot resolve the issue amid opposition from the victims.

Four-point-four billion won out of ten billion won have so far been paid to the victims and their families.