Japan's leading steelmaker is showing signs of a continuing recovery in the global economy. Nippon Steel says it will restart another furnace that's been offline due to the pandemic slowdown.

Executives say they plan to fire up a blast furnace in Ibaraki Prefecture near Tokyo by the end of January.

A South Korean court has reportedly called on a higher court to reach a decision on an appeal filed by Japan's Nippon Steel over a ruling that allows the steelmaker's assets to be seized for liquidation.

Nippon Steel on August 7 filed an immediate appeal to the Pohang branch of the Daegu District Court. It demands an injunction on procedures to sell its assets to compensate South Korean plaintiffs who say they were forced to work in the company's plants during World War Two.

Japan's Nippon Steel says it has appealed a South Korean court ruling over wartime labor compensation that allows the steelmaker's assets to be seized for liquidation.

The company made the announcement on Friday.

Nippon Steel says it believes that the wartime labor issue was settled completely and finally by an agreement signed by Japan and South Korea in 1965, when the two countries normalized ties.

The company added that it will continue to deal with the matter appropriately, based on bilateral diplomatic negotiations.