EMBARRASSED OFFICIALS in South Korea have acknowledged that they must pay a little over €3 to the sister of a man who died in the Korean war over 60 years ago, as a result of antiquated wartime laws.

The woman, who is now 63 years old, was 2 when her brother was killed in combat during the war between North and South Korea in 1950.

Reuters said she was never aware of her brother’s existence, however, until she was told about him by a neighbour many years later. Their mother suffered from dementia, the report added.

When the woman became aware of her family’s loss, she set about seeking the compensation payable by the state – but received the paltry sum of just €3.20.

The tiny payout came because the legislation enacted during the war – which has never been amended – only authorised payouts of 5,000 South Korean won. Inflation has since rendered this sum to be a tiny amount: a Big Mac costs around 4,000 won in South Korea.

The national Civil Rights Commission has described the decision as “incomprehensible” and demanded that the government intervene to ensure a fair payout.