'5·18 Last Broadcast' Protagonist, State Compensation Ruling Confirmed

Supreme Court Orders Compensation of 65 Million KRW
Rejects State's Appeal Against Second Trial Verdict

The state has been ordered to compensate Park Mo (64, female), who made the last citizen army broadcast during the May 18 Democratic Uprising, with 65 million won.

Martial law troops deployed to Geumnam-ro during the May 18, 1980 incident [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 22nd, the Civil Division 2 of the Supreme Court upheld the ruling in the final appeal of the damages claim lawsuit filed by May 18 merit recipient Park against the state, confirming that "the state must pay Park 64.95 million won in damages."

Park, who was a university student, conveyed the situation to citizens through broadcasts while moving around the Jeonnam Provincial Office and downtown Gwangju from May 24, 1980, ahead of the martial law troops' final suppression operation. Three days later, on the 27th, she made her last broadcast saying, "The martial law troops are entering without negotiating with the Student Recovery Committee. Let us show the power of united Gwangju citizens."

Park was subsequently arrested by the martial law troops, tried, and sentenced to one year in prison for the crime of inciting rebellion. Thirty-five years later, in June 2015, she was acquitted after a retrial. After the acquittal, Park filed a damages claim lawsuit against the state. The first trial recognized damages of 15 million won, and the second trial increased the damages to 64.95 million won. The state appealed, but the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal and confirmed the second trial's ruling.