A South Korean court ruled Tuesday for the first time in favor of compensating a victim of a 1968 massacre by South Korean forces during the Vietnam War.
The Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of compensating the victims of the massacre that took place in Phong Nhi, in the Vietnamese province of Quang Nam. The victim in question lost several members of his family and was injured by South Korean troops.
An estimated 70 people were killed in the massacre, allegedly carried out by members of the South Korean Second Marine Brigade during a mission in the context of the war.
Nguyen Thi Thanh, who survived the attacks, filed a lawsuit for damages against the South Korean government in 2020 seeking 30 million won (about 22,000 euros) in compensation. He said he had lost several family members and suffered gunshot wounds.
The court rejected the government’s argument that it was «immune to such claims by Vietnamese citizens due to the agreement signed by Vietnam, South Korea and the United States», as reported by Yonhap news agency.
«It is difficult to see how this type of pact has legal weight to prevent a Vietnamese individual from filing lawsuits against the South Korean government,» said the court, which also rejects the defense of the authorities, who insist that the participation of South Korean forces in such massacres during the war has not been clearly demonstrated.
Furthermore, the judiciary has described the acts committed by the South Korean forces as «illegal». However, Nguyen and his lawyers have highlighted the historic verdict and applauded the decision.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
