'Chills' Seeing Him in Person After 7 Years: How Investigators Caught Man Evading Record 650 Billion Won Fine

In a residential area in Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, prosecution investigators keep watch. Moments later, a man stares directly at where the investigators just passed. As the man turns away, the investigators dash forward. This marks the moment a fugitive drama came to an end after seven years for Mr. A, a man in his 50s who vanished after failing to pay a fine of over 650 billion won. Here is the behind-the-scenes story of the breathless pursuit.

1. Record-High Fine and a Subsequent Twist
Mr. A was the head of transport for an international gold-smuggling ring. Between 2015 and 2016, traveling between South Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong, he smuggled in over 40,000 one-kilogram gold bars across more than 200 trips. The gang reportedly reaped market profits of around 40 billion won in the process. In 2019, the first-instance court sentenced Mr. A to two years and six months in prison along with a fine of over 1.3 trillion won. An astronomical figure was set because the fine was calculated based on the prime cost of the gold bars. It drew massive public attention at the time as the highest fine ever imposed in a single case.

[Cho Jang-hyun / Then-Press Judge, Busan District Court (SBS '8 News' on January 15, 2019): The nature of the crime is grave because they actively carried out offenses over a prolonged period by exploiting ordinary citizens with enticements such as free trips to Japan....]

That was what was previously known to the public, but a twist followed. Six months after the first-instance sentencing, Mr. A's sentence was drastically reduced on appeal, leading to his release. The appellate court stated, "The culpability is heavy," but added, "It is questionable whether an astronomical fine aligns with the public's legal sentiment regarding the circumstances of their participation and the profits gained." The court then sentenced Mr. A to one year and four months in prison and a fine of 662.3 billion won. Although the fine was cut roughly in half, it remained at an all-time record level, and Mr. A chose to flee. Disappearing right after his release, Mr. A went on the run without paying a single won.

2. Vanished Like a Ghost
Did law enforcement remain idle while he disappeared without paying? After his sentence was finalized in January 2020, the final fine recalculated and imposed on Mr. A by prosecutors totaled 653.7 billion won. When the payment deadline passed, authorities placed him on a wanted list, banned him from overseas travel, and hastily chased his trail. However, the prosecution explained that not even a trace could be found.

[Yeom Cheol-jin / Enforcement Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: Since Mr. A left virtually no clues, there was no trace of telecommunications at all. It was fair to view him practically as a ghost.]

Tracking fine evaders occurs during the sentence enforcement phase after a conviction is finalized. Consequently, it is difficult to utilize various tools and investigative techniques permitted during the criminal investigation phase, which poses great challenges for real-time location tracking in the field.

[Yeom Cheol-jin / Enforcement Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: At the sentence enforcement stage, such warrants (for search and seizure, bank accounts, etc.) are not permitted. If a suspect intentionally hides their cell phone, there is very little information that can be obtained even with a telecommunications warrant. In the end, investigators have no choice but to pound the pavement day and night on their own feet....]

As investigators were reassigned multiple times, time simply passed.

3. Caught After a Desperate Pursuit, Only to Say "I Can't Pay, I'll Do Hard Labor"
The situation changed around July. As discussions on amending the Criminal Procedure Act, including the abolition of investigative authority, gained rapid momentum, prosecutors launched a full-scale review of Mr. A's case file under the goal of catching the highest-amount delinquent first while the organizational structure remained in place.

[Kim Hak-rok / Enforcement Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: (In the draft amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act), prosecution investigators were slated to no longer handle sentence enforcement duties. We felt we had to resolve long-standing pending cases, including Mr. A, by October....]

Focusing on the ghost-like fugitive, prosecutors turned their attention to Mr. A's associates. Suspecting that Mr. A, who was deliberately hiding, must have accomplices, a clue finally emerged through twists and turns. Investigators noticed that Mr. A's acquaintances were visiting the jewelry street area in Jongno, Seoul, with unusual frequency.

[Yeom Cheol-jin / Enforcement Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: We screened potential (accomplices), and we judged that it was suspicious if people unrelated to gold smuggling were frequently visiting the jewelry street in Jongno District.]

Following exhaustive inquiries, investigators finally came face-to-face with Mr. A at a café in Jongno where his acquaintances had gathered.

[Kim Hak-rok / Enforcement Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: I recognized immediately that it was Mr. A. I honestly got total chills. He hadn't shown himself to us even once in seven years, and seeing him in person for the very first time....]

Reverse tracking began. After he boarded public transportation—

[Is he making a call?]

His final destination, a hideout in Yeongdeungpo District, was at last confirmed. On August 21, the arrest operation was launched. An investigator cautiously approached the hideout before quickly backing away, and soon a man emerged. It was Mr. A.

[Kim Hak-rok / Enforcement Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: I approached to listen for signs of presence, but when the front door sensor light turned on, his phone conversation suddenly stopped. Thinking he might notice us, I quickly stepped out of the alley.]

Mr. A stared intently at the investigators. The moment he turned around and disappeared inside, the investigators sprinted forward.

[Kim Hak-rok / Enforcement Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: From a distance, I felt that intense gaze. Just as he tried to close and lock the door, we pulled it open....]

With handcuffs snapped on, his seven-year life on the run came to an end.

[Mr. A (At the time of arrest on August 21): (You know, your fine is substantial and there's the gold bar issue.) Yes. (We've been dealing with each other for a long time, right?) Yes.]

Sure enough, it was revealed that Mr. A had evaded tracking through methods such as rotating between multiple mobile phones, including unactivated devices, and using the Telegram messaging app under a foreign national's name.

[Yeom Cheol-jin / Enforcement Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: He had three phones, using each for a different purpose, and he was accessing Telegram under a borrowed Japanese national's name....]

Mr. A reportedly looked nothing like a fugitive. In CCTV footage, he was seen chatting with a calm expression and greeting neighborhood residents casually as if nothing were amiss.

[Resident: He was constantly on the phone a lot, and there was talk about money.]

[Kim Hak-rok / Enforcement Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: What was truly unexpected was that he wasn't wearing a mask at all. We thought he would try to conceal himself in some way, but he was walking the streets freely without any of that....]

Immediately after his arrest, Mr. A reportedly admitted smoothly that he had been hiding deliberately. At the same time, he kept asking one question.

[Kim Hak-rok / Enforcement Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: The entire way back to the prosecutor's office, he kept asking, 'I understood the statute of limitations for the fine had expired; is it legal to enforce it like this?' It was confirmed that he had simply been waiting for the statute of limitations to expire.]

He argued that the basic five-year statute of limitations for fine evaders had lapsed, but prosecutors had already extended it until January 2029. Upon learning this, he began digging in his heels, claiming he had no assets to pay the fine.

[Kim Hak-rok / Enforcement Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: He said that all of his assets had been confiscated, that he had no property left, could not pay the fine, and would instead do hard labor....]

Mr. A ultimately ended up behind bars once again. And here arises another issue.

4. After a Tough Capture, Is 'Emperor Labor' All It Takes?
Those who refuse to pay fines must serve forced labor in a correctional facility's workhouse for a period determined by the court. The problem is that under current law, detention in a workhouse is capped at a maximum of three years regardless of the fine amount. Mr. A's unpaid fine stands at 653.7 billion won. Factoring in various calculations, Mr. A's detention in a workhouse comes out to about two years and eight months. If he simply endures that period, the entire 653.7 billion won will be completely wiped out. That amounts to a daily rate of around 660 million won. This is why critics point out that even after a difficult capture, serving "emperor labor" settles it all.

[Kim Hak-rok / Enforcement Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: It did feel somewhat disheartening. It effectively means having 20 billion won of fines written off every month. As I understand it, the workhouse detention system was originally intended for socially disadvantaged people who struggle to pay fines, and it should not be exploited as a means to wipe out hefty fines.]

As of July this year, the total amount of unpaid fines nationwide identified by the prosecution approached nearly 5.5 trillion won. Mr. A alone accounts for about 10% of that total. Put another way, 90% of the fines to be collected still remain. Tracking and recovering these fines is expected to be a major task for the prosecution, which has handled sentence enforcement, as well as for the future Prosecution Office that is set to launch. Of course, looking at reality, optimism is tempered.

[Yeom Cheol-jin / Enforcement Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: In 2026, the total number of unpaid fine cases at the Western District Prosecutors' Office stands at 1,600. There are only two primary investigators in charge. We cannot resolve them all.]

[Kim Hak-rok / Enforcement Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: When we head out to arrest scenes, a wide variety of incidents happen, and there are actually many very dangerous situations. Increasing personnel and expanding investigative equipment are definitely necessary.]

The Supreme Prosecutors' Office told SBS that it is making efforts to strengthen capabilities by increasing personnel and expanding training for property sentence enforcement, as well as establishing asset tracking systems.

5. After the SBS Report?
Following the report, some reactions stood out, suggesting it seemed like a promotional video for the prosecution. However, it is rare for active prosecution investigators to participate in media interviews while fully disclosing their faces and real names like this. Moreover, at a time when public opinion regarding the prosecution organization is not favorable, I also wondered why they would step forward. But through reporting, I was able to glean a glimpse of the reason. Even if the prosecution service takes down its signboard and disappears, the work they have done and the work that must be done does not vanish. Someone must continue tracking down fine delinquents and enforcing sentences. I felt that beneath their actions lay a desire from public servants who have put their bodies on the line in harsh conditions to open the door to change and improvement through whatever opportunity arises, regardless of what the signboard becomes, before it is too late.

[Yeom Cheol-jin / Enforcement Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: Even if a sentence is handed down, it means nothing if it is not enforced. Doing our utmost so that law enforcement is carried out fairly for everyone—I hope the public will take an interest in this work....]

[Kim Hak-rok / Enforcement Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: It may look like simply capturing one person, but in reality, I believe it is about safeguarding the public's trust that the law must be properly enforced. We will continue to uphold our duties with principles and a sense of responsibility....]

The prosecution emphasized that even after the restructuring into the Prosecution Office, it will do its best to realize national justice through strict sentence enforcement. As we look at those who mock national justice by going into hiding and stubbornly refusing to pay even when caught, it leads one to reflect on whether right now might be the golden time to overhaul the institutional framework so that they can be held accountable to the very end.

Reported by An Huijae | Written by Shin Hee-sook | Video by Kim Se-kyeong, Kim Seung-tae, Lee Chan-soo | Video Editing by Hong Jin-young | Designed by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.