“I want to return the Sewol Ferry compensation” 2nd trial of bereaved family lawsuit dismissed

When the circumstances of the poor structure were revealed, a lawsuit was filed... 1st trial ruling: ‘The dispute cannot be contested at the end of the procedure’

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Youngseop Lee = Some bereaved families who received compensation for the Sewol Ferry disaster from the government filed a lawsuit demanding that it be returned, but it was not accepted in the appeals court.

On the 12th, Seoul High Court Civil Division 5-3 (Judges Kang Seong-hoon, Song Hye-jeong, and Kim Dae-hyun) dismissed the lawsuit filed by about 300 people, including Mr. Kim, against the state, demanding "cancel the decision to pay compensation," as in the first trial.

Dismissal is a procedure to end the trial without a hearing on the merits if the claim requirements are not legal.

It is interpreted that the first trial decision was maintained that the process for paying compensation and compensation has already been completed and cannot be contested again.

The court explained, “It was a very worrying case,” and “We came to the conclusion that it would be difficult to change the judgment of the first trial, even in light of the information obtained in the second trial.”

He continued, “I hope you understand that this is a legal judgment.”

However, the specific reason for the decision was not disclosed in court.

The April 16 Sewol Ferry Disaster Compensation and Deliberation Committee (hereinafter referred to as the Committee) set the compensation amount for each disaster victim at 100 million won in March 2015.

Separately in June of that year, in accordance with the Sewol Ferry Damage Relief Act, it was decided to pay a total of 300 million won in consolation support, including 50 million won in government funds and 250 million won in public donations.

355 of the bereaved families refused compensation and filed a lawsuit for damages against the government and Cheonghaejin Shipping, the Sewol ferry's shipping company.

The remaining bereaved families received compensation according to the committee's decision, but later, when the state's poor structure was revealed and suspicions were raised about the Defense Security Command's inspection of the bereaved families, a separate suit was filed for state compensation along with a lawsuit to cancel the decision to pay compensation in 2018.