Seoul: Five former South Korean prisoners of war (POWs) have initiated legal action against North Korea and its leader Kim Jong-un, seeking compensation for forced labor. The lawsuit was filed at a Seoul court, with each claimant demanding 21 million won (US$14,200) in damages.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Korean POW Families Association announced on Wednesday that the five war survivors, Ko Kwang-myun, Kim Jong-su, Lee Sun-woo, Lee Dae-bong, and Choi Ki-ho, recently submitted the lawsuit to the Seoul Central District Court. These individuals, all in their mid-90s, assert that they were compelled to work in North Korean mines even after the 1953 armistice, which ended active hostilities in the Korean War. They eventually managed to defect to South Korea in the early 2000s.

This lawsuit is the third of its kind, following similar legal actions in 2020 and 2023. The previous cases were brought by two and three former POWs, respectively. Presently, only six former POWs, including the five plaintiffs in the current case, are alive in South Korea. In February, these individuals collectively called for the creation of a truth commission dedicated to the experiences of South Korean POWs and advocated for an official remembrance day to honor them. This appeal coincided with the 12th anniversary of the U.N. Commission of Inquiry report on human rights in North Korea.