Jeju Air Disaster Survivors Escape Debt Burden through Court's Limited Inheritance Approval Decision
Siblings who lost their mother in the Jeju Air passenger plane disaster have been freed from excessive debt burdens through a limited inheritance approval decision by the court. This decision is being regarded as an important precedent for the protection of the rights of disaster victims' families.
According to the Korea Legal Aid Corporation, the Gwangju Family Court appointed the siblings, A and minor B, as the heirs of the Jeju Air disaster victim, designating their maternal grandmother as their guardian and approving the limited inheritance.
Limited inheritance approval is a system where heirs inherit under the condition that they will only repay debts up to the extent of the deceased's estate, meaning the heirs are not obligated to cover any debt with their own assets even if they cannot repay the entire debt with the inherited property.
Sudden Tragedy and Double Hardship for the Siblings
The Jeju Air disaster that occurred on December 29 last year at Muan International Airport brought great tragedy to a family.
The siblings, who lost their mother in this accident, became the first-line heirs. They had already lost their father early and had been living with their single mother.
Having lost their mother to such an unexpected accident, the siblings faced further difficulties during the inheritance process.
They inherited not only their mother’s assets but also her debts. In response, the Korea Legal Aid Corporation provided legal support to ensure that the siblings would not be burdened with their mother's debts through a limited inheritance approval rather than a complete renunciation of inheritance.
Significance of Legal Support and Future Plans
Park Wang-kyu, the lawyer in charge of the case at the Korea Legal Aid Corporation, stated, "This is a meaningful case where we provided substantial legal support to bereaved family members who lost their mother in a sudden air disaster and were also saddled with debt," adding that it could serve as an important precedent for both the protection of minor children's rights and alleviation of debt burdens.
The Korea Legal Aid Corporation operates a dedicated 'Legal Support Team' to assist victims and families of serious disasters. They provide urgent legal support services in the event of various disasters, including aviation accidents, wildfires, and fires, and will continue to offer tailored legal support for victims, including damage claims, renunciation of inheritance, and limited approvals.
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