COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES	16 - COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES In September 2005, the Company entered into a 15-year lease for office space in New York, New York for which there was a free rental period from September 1, 2005 to July 31, 2006. On January 6, 2012, the Company ceased the use of this space. Pursuant to the plan that was approved by the Bankruptcy Court, the Debtors rejected the lease agreement on the Effective Date and the Company believed that it would owe the lessor the remaining liability. On August 10, 2016, the Company settled this outstanding lease liability. The settlement of this claim resulted in a gain that was recorded in rent expense in the amount of ($116) during the year ended December 31, 2016. Effective April 4, 2011, the Company entered into a seven-year sub-sublease agreement for additional office space in New York, New York. The term of the sub-sublease commenced June 1, 2011, with a free base rental period until October 31, 2011. Following the expiration of the free base rental period, the monthly base rental payments were $82 per month until May 31, 2015 and thereafter will be $90 per month until the end of the seven-year term. Pursuant to the sub-sublease agreement, the sublessor was obligated to contribute $472 toward the cost of the Company’s alterations to the sub-subleased office space. The Company has also entered into a direct lease with the over-landlord of such office space that commences immediately upon the expiration of such sub-sublease agreements, for a term covering the period from May 1, 2018 to September 30, 2025; the direct lease provides for a free base rental period from May 1, 2018 to September 30, 2018. Following the expiration of the free base rental period, the monthly base rental payments will be $186 per month from October 1, 2018 to April 30, 2023 and $204 per month from May 1, 2023 to September 30, 2025. For accounting purposes, the sub-sublease agreement and direct lease agreement with the landlord constitutes one lease agreement. As a result of the straight-line rent calculation generated by the free rent period and the tenant work credit, the monthly straight-line rental expense for the remaining term of the lease from the Effective Date to September 30, 2025 is $150. The Company had a long-term lease obligation at December 31, 2017 and 2016 of $2,588 and $1,868, respectively. Rent expense pertaining to this lease for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015 was $1,808 during each year. Future minimum rental payments on the above lease for the next five years and thereafter are as follows: $916 for 2018, $2,230 annually for 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, and a total of $6,671 for the remaining term of the lease. On July 3, 2015, Samsun filed for rehabilitation proceedings for the second time with the South Korean courts due to financial distress. On April 8, 2016, the revised rehabilitation plan was approved by the South Korean court whereby 26% of the of the $3,979 unpaid cash claim settlement from the prior rehabilitation plan, or $1,035, was to be settled pursuant to a payment plan over the next ten-year period. The remaining 74% of the claim was to be converted to Samsun shares. On May 2, 2016, the Company received $157 from Samsun pursuant to this revised plan. Additionally, on October 27, 2016, the Company received $777 from Samsun as full and final settlement of this outstanding claim that was approved on April 8, 2016. This represents the net present value of the remainder of the $1,035 cash settlement noted above. During the year ended December 31, 2016, this resulted in Other Operating income of $934.

16 - COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

In September 2005, the Company entered into a 15-year lease for office space in New York, New York for which there was a free rental period from September 1, 2005 to July 31, 2006. On January 6, 2012, the Company ceased the use of this space. Pursuant to the plan that was approved by the Bankruptcy Court, the Debtors rejected the lease agreement on the Effective Date and the Company believed that it would owe the lessor the remaining liability. On August 10, 2016, the Company settled this outstanding lease liability. The settlement of this claim resulted in a gain that was recorded in rent expense in the amount of ($116) during the year ended December 31, 2016.

Effective April 4, 2011, the Company entered into a seven-year sub-sublease agreement for additional office space in New York, New York. The term of the sub-sublease commenced June 1, 2011, with a free base rental period until October 31, 2011. Following the expiration of the free base rental period, the monthly base rental payments were $82 per month until May 31, 2015 and thereafter will be $90 per month until the end of the seven-year term. Pursuant to the sub-sublease agreement, the sublessor was obligated to contribute $472 toward the cost of the Company’s alterations to the sub-subleased office space. The Company has also entered into a direct lease with the over-landlord of such office space that commences immediately upon the expiration of such sub-sublease agreements, for a term covering the period from May 1, 2018 to September 30, 2025; the direct lease provides for a free base rental period from May 1, 2018 to September 30, 2018. Following the expiration of the free base rental period, the monthly base rental payments will be $186 per month from October 1, 2018 to April 30, 2023 and $204 per month from May 1, 2023 to September 30, 2025. For accounting purposes, the sub-sublease agreement and direct lease agreement with the landlord constitutes one lease agreement. As a result of the straight-line rent calculation generated by the free rent period and the tenant work credit, the monthly straight-line rental expense for the remaining term of the lease from the Effective Date to September 30, 2025 is $150. The Company had a long-term lease obligation at December 31, 2017 and 2016 of $2,588 and $1,868, respectively. Rent expense pertaining to this lease for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015 was $1,808 during each year.

Future minimum rental payments on the above lease for the next five years and thereafter are as follows: $916 for 2018, $2,230 annually for 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, and a total of $6,671 for the remaining term of the lease.

On July 3, 2015, Samsun filed for rehabilitation proceedings for the second time with the South Korean courts due to financial distress. On April 8, 2016, the revised rehabilitation plan was approved by the South Korean court whereby 26% of the of the $3,979 unpaid cash claim settlement from the prior rehabilitation plan, or $1,035, was to be settled pursuant to a payment plan over the next ten-year period. The remaining 74% of the claim was to be converted to Samsun shares. On May 2, 2016, the Company received $157 from Samsun pursuant to this revised plan. Additionally, on October 27, 2016, the Company received $777 from Samsun as full and final settlement of this outstanding claim that was approved on April 8, 2016. This represents the net present value of the remainder of the $1,035 cash settlement noted above. During the year ended December 31, 2016, this resulted in Other Operating income of $934.