A Seoul court Monday ruled that the government is liable for a civilian’s death in a shelling attack by the U.S. during the 1950-53 Korean War.
Reversing an earlier ruling against the families of the civilian victim, surnamed Bang, the Seoul High Court ordered the government to pay 48 million won ($45,000) in compensation.
Bang was killed by shells fired from the USS Haven of the U.S. Navy in September 1950, according to court documents.
It marks the first time for a local court to award compensation to the family of a victim killed by attacks linked to American soldiers during the war.
“Bang’s basic rights guaranteed by the Constitution were greatly violated,” the court said.
In 2010, The Truth and Reconciliation Commission, a special committee established in 2005 to reinvestigate past security-related cases, released a report that the USS Haven ordered the shelling on the Army’s order. The report did not clarify whether the order was made by the U.S. or South Korean Army. (Yonhap)
