Yang, who worked at an elementary school in the southwestern town of Boseong at the time, was first accused of being a pro-North Korean sympathizer after he rang a school bell in July 1950 to call another school worker.

Police accused him of ringing the bell as a signal telling North Korean "partisan" guerilla forces hiding in the town to run away. Yang was later released, and the town was taken over by the North. In December 1950, South Korean forces recaptured the town and police executed Yang and other people on suspicion of being pro-North Korean sympathizers.

So far, only 35 victims have been identified and Yang is one of them.

"It is sufficiently recognizable from records that the deceased is a victim (of the mass killing)", the court said. "As police killed the deceased without legitimate reasons or due procedures ... the state should compensate the bereaved family." (Yonhap)