Defector who won $37,210 from Kim Jong-un in lawsuit vows to fight on
In July 2025, Choi Min-kyeong brought an unusual suit against someone few would have tried to lodge a case against: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. It was the first time a North Korean defector filed a lawsuit against Kim, seeking damages for the torture and sexual violence she suffered in North Korea. "People around me said filing the lawsuit made no sense," Choi, 55, president of the…
Choi Min-kyeong, a defector from North Korea, filed a lawsuit against its leader, Kim Jong-un, in July 2025. This was the first time a North Korean defector had taken legal action against the leader. Choi, who is now 55 years old and the president of the Imprisonment Victims Family Association, sought damages for the torture and sexual violence she endured in North Korea.
Initially, a police officer dismissed her complaint as ridiculous, but the Seoul Central District Court ruled in her favor in August, awarding her the full 50 million won ($37,210) she had sought.
Choi expressed her happiness and pride upon hearing the ruling, stating that she had risked her life to file the lawsuit due to her inability to rescue her eldest daughter from North Korea. She emphasized that the 50 million won awarded was symbolic, calculated based on court fees and legal costs, as even a sum of 500 billion won would not alleviate her anger. Choi further stated that the ruling established a legal basis for arresting Kim Jong-un if he ever enters South Korea.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
