A Seoul court orders North Korea to pay about 44.6 billion won (roughly $32.5 million) in compensation for the June 2020 demolition of an inter-Korean liaison office in Kaesong, according to reports. The Seoul Central District Court issues the ruling more than three years after South Korea filed its initial lawsuit.
The liaison office opened in September 2018 to facilitate cooperation and exchanges between the two Koreas. It suspends operations in January 2020 amid COVID-19 concerns. South Korea says the North destroyed the building in protest of Seoul’s handling of North Korean defectors and anti-Pyongyang leaflets. One report highlights that the case is the first time the South Korean government seeks damages directly from North Korea, while another focuses on the court effectively granting the full amount requested.
Some outlets note that the court provides limited public detail on its rationale, centering instead on the award amount and the procedural timeline.
