Court denies land claim by descendant of Japanese sympathizer

A Seoul court Wednesday denied a property claim by a descendent of a collaborator with the Japanese colonial regime, saying the claim ran counter to the spirit of the constitution and the concept of justice.

The Seoul District Court issued the ruling against a 78-year-old woman identified only as Kim, granddaughter-in-law of Lee Jae-Kuk, who collaborated with Japanese colonialists in signing an accord to strip Korea of its diplomatic rights in 1905. Kim filed the suit in a bid to recover ownership of her grandfather¡¯s property, which was seized by the government after national liberation from colonial rule.

By handing down the ruling, the court made clear its determination to hold Japanese sympathizers responsible for their anti-national activities and fulfill its role as a state agency to safeguard the spirit of the constitution.

Judges said that existing constitution upholds the spirit of the constitution which formed the basis for Korea's Provisional Government during the colonial period (1910-1945) and the March 1 Independence Movement.

They said the court that because the court is obligated to safeguard the Constitution, it could not support any bid by a collaborator's descendent to take back their ancestors¡¯ seized properties.

Lee Jung-Eun lightee@donga.com