President Yoon Suk Yeol has emphasized that South Korea's decision to compensate wartime forced labor victims without Japanese firms' involvement is in line with a determination to move toward a future-oriented relationship with Japan.

Cited by presidential spokesperson Lee Do-woon on Monday, in a weekly meeting with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, Yoon said the two governments should work to help their future generations play a pivotal role in ensuring that bilateral relations enter a new era.

In response, Han vowed to expand exchange programs for future generations to further solidify the partnership between the two countries and swiftly promote projects in areas such as culture, diplomacy, security, the economy and global issues.

Meanwhile, South Korean victims of Japan's wartime forced labor and their families earlier condemned the government's plan to compensate plaintiffs through a domestic foundation without contributions from the defendant Japanese firms.