Severance of communication brought about by an inadequate apology and a cold reaction amid unavoidable tardiness

2026-CC-4821 · public hearing

Severance of communication brought about by an inadequate apology and a cold reaction amid unavoidable tardiness

Petition to the Supreme Court · both parties agreed to publish this case.

TranslationOriginal: Korean · This translation is here to help you read. The original judgment is the binding text, and appeals and verdicts rest on it.

For the plaintiff

What happenedWe were supposed to meet yesterday at 8:00 PM, but the defendant arrived 40 minutes late. There was no contact, and upon arrival, without a word of apology, the defendant immediately said they were hungry and suggested picking a restaurant.

PositionBeing late can happen, but I do not know if sending a single message is really that difficult. During the 40 minutes of waiting, I felt like I was being ignored.

For the defendant

What happenedOn my way off work, the subway stopped for more than 20 minutes. Being underground, there was no signal, so I could not contact the plaintiff, and I ran as soon as I came outside. When I arrived, the plaintiff had an angry expression, so I did not know how to bring it up and changed the subject for the moment.

PositionIt is not that I did not feel sorry, but that I could not express it. It would have been nice if the plaintiff had asked about my situation first, but because they immediately showed a hardened expression, I also felt hurt.

The judge's ruling

Additional circumstances regarding the appellant's unavoidable loss of contact due to subway communication failure were confirmed, and the appellee also acknowledged their cold attitude and apologized. However, as the appellant's handling of changing the subject instead of apologizing immediately upon arriving at the meeting place remains regrettable, the negligence ratio is partially adjusted.

Grounds for the petition: My fault actually increased in the second instance, which I cannot accept. I want to hear other people's judgment on why the person who waited for 40 minutes without any contact ends up being more at fault.

The jury

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