Gov't wins lawsuit to recover 2.7 bln won in assets from descendants of pro-Japanese collaborator

The South Korean government has prevailed in a legal battle against the relatives of a former supporter of Japanese rule in Korea during Japan's colonial period, seeking to reclaim assets valued at approximately $2 million. The Goyang branch of the Uijeongbu District Court handed the government a favorable ruling on Thursday, concerning the return of proceeds from the sale of assets acquired by a pro-Japanese collaborator and the transfer of land ownership.

According to the justice ministry, the court concluded that the government is legally entitled to reclaim funds from the assets of pro-Japan collaborators, even if those assets had been passed on to third parties prior to 2005, the year when the law allowing the state to take over the property of pro-Japanese collaborators went into effect.

The individual in question, Shin Woo-sun, functioned as a vice councilor for the Japanese colonial government's advisory body and was awarded honorary medals by the Japanese government at the time. The ministry initiated the lawsuit in January, aiming to recover 2.43 billion won in proceeds related to the assets.