{
  "id": 7696685,
  "title": "North Korea ordered to pay US$32.5m over destruction of inter-Korean liaison office",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/north-korea-ordered-to-pay-us-32-5m-over-destruction-of-inter-korean",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-16T03:33:11.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail-malaymail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2026/09/16/north-korea-ordered-to-pay-us325m-over-destruction-of-inter-korean-liaison-office/235391"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Seoul's Central District Court has ordered North Korea to pay approximately US$32.5 million to the South Korean government for the destruction of the Inter-Korean Liaison Office in 2020. This marks the first time the South Korean government has sought damages directly from the North Korean state.\n\nThe office, located in Kaesong, North Korea, was built in the dormant Kaesong Industrial Complex where South Korean companies previously employed North Korean workers. However, Pyongyang blew up the building in June 2020 after days of increasing tensions following South Korean activists sending balloons carrying anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border.\n\nThe court ruled that North Korea should pay 44.6 billion won in damages. The lawsuit was filed in 2023 under the previous South Korean administration led by Yoon Suk Yeol, who took an aggressive stance towards North Korea.\n\nThe Inter-Korean Liaison Office opened in September 2018, just days before Moon Jae-in's third summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The office was staffed by around 20 officials from each side until its suspension in January 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.\n\nExperts believe it is unlikely that North Korea will comply with the ruling and pay the damages. They argue that the North maintains the demolition was justified in response to perceived faults by South Korea. The South Korean government hopes that the ruling will spur inter-Korean dialogue and ultimately resolve all issues between the two nations through cooperation.",
  "summary": "SEOUL, Sept 16 — A Seoul court ordered Pyongyang today to pay roughly US$32.5 million for blowing up in...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 8,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yonhap News",
        "title": "Court orders N. Korea to pay S. Korea 44.6 bln won over 2020 demolition of liaison office",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/court-orders-n-korea-to-pay-s-korea-44-6-bln-won-over-2020-demolition",
        "published": "2026-09-16T02:09:11.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "KBS World Radio",
        "title": "Court Orders N. Korea to Pay 44.6 Bln Won for Blowing Up Liaison Office",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/court-orders-n-korea-to-pay-44-6-bln-won-for-blowing-up-liaison-office",
        "published": "2026-09-16T02:11:53.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Court orders North Korea pay Seoul US$32.5 million for blowing up office",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/court-orders-north-korea-pay-seoul-us-32-5-million-for-blowing-up",
        "published": "2026-09-16T02:47:54.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Court orders NK to pay S. Korea $32.5 mil. over 2020 demolition of liaison office",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/court-orders-nk-to-pay-s-korea-32-5-mil-over-2020-demolition-of",
        "published": "2026-09-16T02:52:03.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "South Korean court orders North Korea to pay $32.5 million for blowing up joint liaison office",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/south-korean-court-orders-north-korea-to-pay-32-5-million-for-blowing",
        "published": "2026-09-16T03:20:21.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "RTE News",
        "title": "S. Korean court orders North pay damages over demolition",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/s-korean-court-orders-north-pay-damages-over-demolition",
        "published": "2026-09-16T03:58:14.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "Seoul court orders North Korea to pay $32.5m for blowing up office",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/seoul-court-orders-north-korea-to-pay-32-5m-for-blowing-up-office",
        "published": "2026-09-16T05:31:34.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}