US State Department Sends $366 M North Korea Judgment to UN Mission Over Kim Dong‑sik Kidnapping

The United States Department of State formally delivered a revised court judgment and a default‑judgment notice to the North Korean mission at the United Nations in New York. The documents stem from a Washington, D.C. federal court case that held the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea responsible for the 2000 kidnapping and death of South Korean pastor Kim Dong‑sik. The court ordered $366 million in damages – $25 million in compensation to Kim’s widow and children and $341 million in punitive damages – to be paid to the family.

The delivery was made through a diplomatic channel, often referred to as the “New York channel,” which historically served as an informal conduit between the U.S. government and the North Korean UN delegation. Although broader U.S.–North Korea dialogue has stalled, the State Department used a foreign‑government service procedure to satisfy the court’s requirement that the judgment be served on the defendant. No response from the North Korean mission has been reported. The case illustrates how U.S. law permits civil suits against state sponsors of terrorism, a category that includes North Korea, and it may set a precedent for future litigation involving the regime.