A South Korean court has ruled that North Korea must pay South Korea 44.6 billion won (about $32.5 million) for destroying a joint liaison office in 2020. The ruling came as relations between the two Koreas worsened after stalled nuclear negotiations between North Korea and the United States. The Seoul Central District Court made the decision on Wednesday, but South Korea faces challenges in enforcing the payment due to the current diplomatic rift. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has stopped meaningful diplomacy with the South and has labeled it his most hostile enemy, while expanding his nuclear program and deepening ties with Russia and China, which he calls part of a “new Cold War.” This case marks the first time the South Korean government has sued North Korea. South Korea’s Unification Ministry, which oversees inter-Korean relations, expressed respect for the court’s ruling and urged the resumption of diplomatic talks to resolve disputes through dialogue. North Korean state media has not yet commented on the ruling. South Korea filed the lawsuit in 2023, calling the destruction of the liaison office in the North Korean border town of Kaesong an illegal and violent act that violated previous agreements and harmed mutual trust. At the time, South Korea was led by a conservative government that took a firm stance on North Korea’s nuclear ambitions and its support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Under current liberal President Lee Jae Myung, who took office last year, South Korea has adopted a more conciliatory approach compared to the previous administration. However, North Korea has not responded to Lee’s calls to restart diplomacy. In June 2020, North Korea used explosives to destroy the liaison office after criticizing South Korea for allowing defectors to send anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets across the border via balloons. The building had been abandoned since January 2020, when North Korea closed its borders due to the coronavirus pandemic. The destruction was seen as a deliberate act to pressure South Korea over stalled nuclear negotiations with the United States. Former South Korean President Moon Jae-in had engaged in direct talks with Kim Jong Un in 2018, helping to arrange the first summit between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump. However, progress stalled after the second Trump-Kim summit in 2019, when the U.S. rejected North Korea’s demand for sanctions relief in exchange for partial nuclear concessions. In recent years, North Korea has expanded its nuclear and missile capabilities and strengthened its military ties with Russia, sending troops and weapons to support Russia’s war in Ukraine. Trump has shown interest in restarting diplomacy with Kim, even ordering a reduction in military exercises with South Korea. However, North Korea has dismissed these overtures, insisting that the U.S. must abandon its demand for North Korea’s complete denuclearization as a condition for talks.