The South Korean government plans to sell over 12 billion won (12 million U.S. dollars) worth of land seized from the families of Koreans who collaborated with the Japanese colonial government in early 20th century, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported on Saturday.
According to Yonhap, the money generated from the sale will be used to finance the government's new scholarship and pension programs for the descendants of anti-Japanese independence fighters.
"Who would ever sacrifice their lives for the country if those who defended our nation are left unable to provide education to their descendants and those who fought for the country's independence do not receive their well-deserved respect and recognition," said South Korean President Lee Myung-bak when meeting with officials from the Patriots and Veterans Affairs Agency.
The government has won back over 30 billion won (30.1 million U.S. dollars) worth of real estate and properties from the families of former collaborators of the Japanese colonial rule, but nearly 18 billion won (18.05 million U.S. dollars) worth of land are still in legal battle, Yonhap said.
Japan ruled the Korean Peninsula as a colony from 1910 through 1945.
Source: Xinhua
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