[사회]North Korean company loses first lawsuit against South Korean company…”will appeal”

[앵커]

A North Korean company filed a lawsuit against a Korean company for the first time in a domestic court asking for the payment for the export of zinc, but it was defeated.

The court decided that the direct contractual relationship between the two sides was not recognized, but the North said it would appeal.

Reporter Lim Seong-ho reports.

[기자]

Last February 2010.

Domestic company B, which produces functional materials, has signed a purchase contract with North Korean company A.

We decided to buy 2,600 tons of zinc from North Korea for 6 million dollars and 6.7 billion won in our money, and of this, we sent about 1.4 billion won to a Chinese broker.

However, shortly after that, the Cheonan bombing occurred, and trade between the two Koreas was cut off due to the Korean government’s May 24 measures.

Since then, North Korea’s nuclear tests and international sanctions have overlapped, making it even more difficult for both sides.

[이석준 / 당시 청와대 국무조정실장 (2016년 3월) : 외국 선박이 북한에 기항한 후 180일 이내에 국내에 입항하는 것을 전면 불허할 것이며, 아울러, 제3국 선박의 남북 항로 운항을 금지하는 조치도 지속해 나갈 것입니다.]

Time passed and last year, Company A filed a lawsuit against Company B in a domestic court.

He said that he had not been paid 5.3 billion won for zinc due to the 5 24 sanctions against North Korea, and asked for some of them to be returned first.

It is known that this is the first time that a North Korean company has filed a lawsuit in our court as a plaintiff.

[김한신 / 남북경제협력연구소 대표 (북한기업 측 소송대리인) : 문재인 정부 들어와서, 10년 동안 중단됐던 접촉이 개시되면서 북측에서 우리한테 (소송을) 위임하게 된 거죠.]

Our company confronted a Chinese broker that it had paid the balance, and in the first trial sentence held one and a half years after filing a lawsuit, the court dismissed the North Korean company’s claim and ruled that the plaintiff was defeated.

First of all, the court judged that our court had jurisdiction over the fact that Company A, a North Korean company, is arguing over a contract with a domestic company.

However, he pointed out that there is no evidence to prove that Company A is a party to supply zinc with a domestic company, and that it seems that a Chinese brokerage bought zinc and sold it to Korean companies.

The North Korean company has announced that it will appeal that it has failed to submit data to prove that it is a party to the contract or to apply for a witness to a Chinese broker due to the inter-Korean relations crunch and Corona 19.

[김한신 / 남북경제협력연구소 대표 (북한기업 측 소송대리인) : 코로나19로 인해서 접촉이 중단돼 있지 않습니까? 그래서 충분한 자료를 제출하지 못했기 때문에, 우리가 1심에서는 기각됐지만, 다시 항소할 계획입니다.]

However, even if the North Korean side wins in high-level judgment, it will not be easy to receive payments as the way to remit money to North Korea, such as cash, is virtually blocked due to sanctions against North Korea by the international community.

This is YTN Seongho Lim.

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