Seoul court orders North Korea to pay $32.5m for blowing up office

A Seoul court has ordered Pyongyang to pay roughly $32.5 million for blowing up an office in North Korea in 2020, which was intended to foster better inter-Korean relations. This marks the first time the South Korean government has sought damages directly from the North Korean state. The office, located in the Kaesong Industrial Complex, was destroyed by North Korea in June 2020 following rising tensions. While South Korea is reviewing necessary follow-up measures, experts consider it unlikely that Pyongyang will ever pay these damages.