Victims of Japan’s wartime forced labor have strongly protested a proposal by National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang to create a joint fund to help compensate victims.

Groups representing the victims gathered in front of the National Assembly on Wednesday and protested the proposal which seeks to establish a fund that involves contributions from companies, citizens and the governments of South Korea and Japan to provide compensation to victims. 

Protesters, in particular, have taken issue with the proposal requiring funds from South Korean and Japanese businesses and citizens, saying the proposal obscures the Japanese government’s responsibility. 

The protesters also protested the fact that the proposed fund includes budgets related to the now-defunct Reconciliation and Healing Foundation, saying the move would be reviving the controversial 2015 agreement on the issue of Japan’s wartime sex slavery. 

The protesters said the parliamentary chief had not sought the opinions of victims for his proposal before he unveiled it earlier on November fifth during a lecture at a university in Japan. 

The protesters later met with Moon during which the parliamentary chief said nothing has been finalized and that he will heed the victim’s opinions.