South Korea wins investment dispute
South Korea secured its first victory in an international investor claim after a panel rejected a challenge from Chinese investor Min Fengzhen. The tribunal upheld a prior dismissal of a 264 billion won claim and ordered the investor to pay legal costs.
South Korea secured its first international investor-state victory, defeating a 264-billion-won claim by a Chinese investor on Sunday afternoon. The settlement panel rejected Min Fengzhen's challenge on a 2024 claim dismissal, according to the justice ministry. The ruling marks a milestone for the ministry following years of international arbitration.
The dispute stemmed from an investment treaty between South Korea and China after a lender seized and sold pledged shares linked to a failed Beijing property project. Min alleged the actions violated protections under the bilateral pact. The original tribunal dismissed the case in 2024, ruling the investment was illegal and unprotected.