Protest Victim Gets State Compensation

A Seoul district court delivered a mediation decision that the nations pay 9 million won ($7,600) in compensation to a female university student who was assaulted by riot police during a candlelit protest against the import of American beef in 2008.

``Taking into consideration all the circumstances, the court came up with a decision to recommend reconciliation for fair resolution of the case for both sides,'' the Seoul Central District Court said in the ruling.

Its reconciliatory recommendation has the same legal binding force as a verdict. Both the state and the plaintiff accepted the court's decision.

The plaintiff, identified only as Lee, filed a suit against the state, claiming that the riot police stepped on her head and assaulted her during the rally in June 2008. She demanded the nation pay 53 million won in compensation.

In the first round of mediation, the court had ruled that the state pay 10 million won to the plaintiff but the government refused to accept it.