Amid speculation that South Korea and Japan may soon reach an agreement on the long-disputed compensation for Korean victims of Japan's wartime forced labor, sources confirm that the national security offices from the two sides are helping to speed up the process consulting on the matter.

An unnamed official from the South Korean presidential office told Yonhap News Agency on Friday that in addition to their diplomatic channels, sufficient strategic consultation is under way between the two sides' national security offices.

The revelation indicates that the issue, a major thorn in bilateral relations, will soon come down to a “political decision” to be resolved between President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Tokyo remains opposed, however, to Seoul's proposal for a foundation under the interior ministry to collect donations from businesses in both countries for compensation, including the Japanese firms ordered by the South Korean top court to pay the indemnities.

The presidential office in Seoul is determined to resolve the issue to enhance cooperation with Tokyo in politics, security and the economy.

Despite the determination, the office remains cautious about domestic resistance following the president's March First Independence Movement Day speech, which called for expanded cooperation without the typical reference to colonial-era issues.