'Sky72,' which operated a golf course by illegally occupying land owned by Incheon International Airport Corporation for over two years, will have to pay the corporation over 50 billion KRW.
On the 1st, the Civil Division 11 of the Incheon District Court (Presiding Judge Kim Yang-hee) ruled partially in favor of the plaintiff in a 105.7 billion KRW damages lawsuit filed by Incheon Airport Corporation against Sky72, the golf course operator.
The court ordered, "Sky72 shall pay approximately 50.3 billion KRW to Incheon Airport Corporation," and "half of the litigation costs shall be borne by the plaintiff, and the remainder by the defendant." The court dismissed the rest of Incheon Airport Corporation’s claims.
Incheon Airport Corporation filed the lawsuit claiming that Sky72 illegally occupied the corporation’s land and operated a golf course from January 2021 to February last year, causing damages amounting to 105.7 billion KRW. This amount was calculated based on Sky72’s revenue during this period and the operating rate of the next business operator.
Previously, Sky72 had leased land owned by Incheon Airport Corporation, designated for the construction of the 5th runway at Incheon Airport in 2005, to build and operate a golf course and clubhouse. Incheon Airport Corporation and Sky72 agreed that the contract would end on December 31, 2020, when the 5th runway construction would begin, but the construction was delayed, leading to a legal dispute lasting over two years.
The airport corporation demanded Sky72 vacate the premises, stating the contract period had ended, and ordered the transfer of all golf course facilities, including the turf and clubhouse. Subsequently, the corporation held a public bidding process to select a new golf course operator and chose KMH Shilla Leisure (now KX Group) as the new operator.
In January last year, the airport corporation filed a lawsuit against the operator demanding the return of the land and transfer of ownership. In response, Sky72 also filed a lawsuit seeking reimbursement for the costs invested in the facilities (improvements) during their lease of the golf course land.
However, Sky72’s claim for reimbursement was dismissed. Although the airport corporation won the final appeal at the Supreme Court in December 2022, Sky72 did not return the golf course land, so the corporation reclaimed it through compulsory execution in March last year.
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