Gwangju Court Orders Government to Pay 35 Million Won to Victim
Disability Recognized as Suffered During Resistance Against Constitutional Order Destruction
A court has ruled that the government must compensate a participant of the May 18 Democratization Movement for psychological damages after the individual suffered a physical disability in a traffic accident while riding in a protest vehicle.
The Gwangju District Court Civil Division 11 (Presiding Judge Hong Kichan) announced on September 7 that it had partially ruled in favor of the plaintiff in a damages lawsuit filed by Mr. A against the government. The court ordered the government to pay Mr. A 35 million won.
Mr. A, who was 18 years old on May 20, 1980, participated in a protest in downtown Gwangju against the suppression by martial law forces. While riding in a protest vehicle, he was seriously injured in a traffic accident, resulting in severe facial injuries that left him with lasting difficulties in speech and eating, as well as being classified with a physical disability.
The court stated, "It is recognized that the plaintiff suffered a disability while participating in the struggle to resist the constitutional order-destroying crimes committed by the new military regime," adding, "The physical and psychological suffering must have been considerable."
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