An appellate court has upheld a lower court ruling ordering the South Korean government to compensate a Vietnamese national for damages she suffered in a civilian massacre carried out by South Korean Marines during the Vietnam War.

The Seoul Central District Court on Friday rejected an appeal by the government against an order to pay damages amounting to some 30 million won, or around 21-thousand U.S. dollars, and delay damages to Nguyen Thi Thanh, a survivor of the 1968 Phong Nhi and Phong Nhat massacre.

In April 2020, Nguyen filed the lawsuit against Seoul, saying she suffered a serious injury in the February 12, 1968, massacre at the age of eight.

The attack claimed the lives of around 70 villagers, including five members of Nguyen’s family.

In its appeal, Seoul argued that Nguyen’s claims of damage were not substantiated and that acts of violence were justified during the conflict in the context of guerilla warfare.

After Friday’s ruling Nguyen thanked the court, while a legal counsel representing victims of civilian massacres during the Vietnam War urged Seoul to concentrate on uncovering the truth and restoring the victims’ honor.