Seoul: A Seoul court has ruled in favor of the bereaved family of late Lieutenant Colonel Kim Oh-rang, ordering the government to provide compensation for his death during the military coup of 1979. Kim was killed in a gunfight while defending his commander against mutineers in the coup led by then Major General Chun Doo-hwan on December 12, 1979.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Seoul Central District Court has mandated the government to compensate Kim's family, including his sister and nine other relatives, with approximately 300 million won (US$216,000). This amount is less than the 500 million won initially sought by the plaintiffs. Kim's death was originally recorded as a line-of-duty event but was reclassified as killed in action in 2022 by a presidential commission on military deaths.
Under military law, a service member is considered killed in action if they die as a result of engagement with the enemy or while preventing disturbances to public peace, such as a rebellion. Chun Doo-hwan, who later became president in 1980 and died in 2021, led the coup that resulted in Kim's death.
Kim's valor and sacrifice inspired the character portrayed by actor Jung Hae-in in the historical drama film "12.12: The Day," which was released in 2023.