"Forgiving 600 Million Won for a Single Day's Work?"... The Fate of a Criminal Who Mocked a 600 Billion Won Fine

In a residential area in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, prosecution investigators keep a close eye on the surroundings, and shortly after, a man stares intently at the spot where the investigators had just passed. The moment the man turns away, the investigators dash toward him. This was the moment the seven-year fugitive run of a man in his 50s, identified as Person A, came to an end after he disappeared without paying a massive fine of over 650 billion won. Here is the behind-the-scenes story of this breathtaking chase. Person A was the head of transportation for an international gold bar smuggling ring. Between 2015 and 2016, he traveled between South Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong, smuggling about 40,000 one-kilogram gold bars over more than 200 trips. The gang reportedly earned about 40 billion won in market profits during this process. In 2019, the trial court of first instance sentenced Person A to two years and six months in prison along with a fine of around 1.3 trillion won. The astronomical fine was determined based on the cost price of the gold bars. It drew massive public attention at the time as the largest fine ever imposed in a single case.

[Cho Jang-hyun / Then Public Relations Judge at Busan District Court (SBS '8 News', January 15, 2019): "The nature of the crime is grave because they actively and persistently carried out the offense over a prolonged period by luring ordinary citizens with offers such as free trips to Japan..."]

This was what had been known publicly. But a twist followed. Six months after the first trial verdict, an appellate court substantially reduced the sentence, leading to Person A's release. While acknowledging that "the culpability is heavy," the appellate court questioned "whether such an astronomical fine aligns with the public's legal sentiment, given the circumstances of their participation and the actual criminal proceeds," and sentenced Person A to one year and four months in prison and a fine of 662.3 billion won. Although the fine was slashed roughly in half, it remained one of the highest in history. Person A chose to run. Disappearing right after his release, Person A went into hiding without paying a single won. Did law enforcement simply stand idly by while he disappeared without paying? For Person A, whose sentence was finalized in January 2020, the prosecution recalculated and finally imposed a total fine of 653.7 billion won. When the payment deadline passed, authorities promptly placed him on the wanted list, issued an overseas travel ban, and scrambled to track him down, but according to the prosecution, not a single trace could be found.

[Yeom Cheol-jin / Execution Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: "Because there were no clues left regarding Person A, there were absolutely no telecommunication traces. It would not be an exaggeration to say he was virtually a ghost."]

Tracking fine evaders takes place during the sentence execution stage after a conviction is finalized, making it difficult to utilize various tools and investigative techniques permitted during criminal investigations. As a result, field officers face immense hurdles, such as in real-time location tracking.

[Yeom Cheol-jin / Execution Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: "At the execution stage, such warrants (for search and seizure, bank accounts, etc.) are not permitted. If someone deliberately hides their mobile phone, there is not much 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..."]

Time merely slipped away as case officers changed multiple times. The situation shifted around this past July. As discussions on revising the Criminal Procedure Act, including the abolition of investigative powers, gained rapid momentum, the prosecution began a full review of Person A's records with the goal of apprehending the highest-amount fine evader first while the prosecution organization remained intact.

[Kim Hak-rok / Execution Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: "(In the draft amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act), it was stated that prosecution investigators would no longer be able to handle sentence execution duties. We felt that long-unresolved cases, including Person A, had to be resolved before October..."]

To find Person A, who had vanished like a ghost, the prosecution focused on his acquaintances. Suspecting that Person A, who went into hiding deliberately, must have had accomplices, investigators finally caught a clue after many twists and turns. They discovered that Person A's acquaintances were visiting the jewelry district in Jongno, Seoul, with unusual frequency.

[Yeom Cheol-jin / Execution Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: "We selected prominent individuals (as potential helpers) and (judged that) it was suspicious if people who had nothing to do with gold smuggling were frequently visiting the jewelry street in Jongno-gu."]

After persistent surveillance and inquiries, investigators finally came face to face with Person A at a cafe in Jongno where his acquaintances had gathered.

[Kim Hak-rok / Execution Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: "I knew immediately that it was Person A. Honestly, I got chills. He had not shown himself to us even once in seven years, and seeing him in person for the first time..."]

The reverse tracking began. He took public transportation, and then—

[Is he making a phone call?]

The destination Person A arrived at, a hideout in Yeongdeungpo-gu, was finally confirmed. On August 21, the arrest operation was launched. An investigator cautiously approached the hideout before quickly pulling back, and soon after, a man appeared. It was Person A.

[Kim Hak-rok / Execution Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: "I went up to listen for any signs of presence, but when the entrance sensor light turned on, his phone conversation suddenly stopped. Thinking he might notice, I rushed out into the alley."]

Person A, who had stared straight at the investigators, turned his back to leave, and at that moment, the investigators sprinted at full speed.

[Kim Hak-rok / Execution Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: "I strongly felt his gaze from afar. Just as he was about to close and lock the door, we pulled the door open..."]

As the handcuffs clicked shut, his seven-year life as a fugitive came to an end.
[Person A (At the time of arrest on August 21): "(You know, right? The fine amount is considerable, and there's the gold bar issue.) Yes. (It's been a long time between us.) Yes."]

Sure enough, it was revealed that Person A had evaded pursuit by using multiple mobile phones, including unactivated devices, and accessing the Telegram messenger app under a foreigner's name.

[Yeom Cheol-jin / Execution Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: "He had three mobile phones, each used for different purposes, and was accessing Telegram using a Japanese national's identity..."]

Person A reportedly acted in a way that made it hard to believe he was a fugitive. CCTV footage showed him casually chatting with a serene expression and greeting neighbors as if nothing were amiss.

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

[Kim Hak-rok / Execution Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: "What was truly unexpected was that he was not wearing a mask at all. We thought he would try to cover himself with something, but he was walking the streets freely without any of that..."]

After his arrest, Person A reportedly admitted readily that he had been hiding intentionally. Yet, he kept asking the following question.

[Kim Hak-rok / Execution Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: "He kept asking all the way while being brought to the prosecutors' office, 'I understand the statute of limitations on the fine has expired; is it legal to enforce it like this?' (It turned out) he had been waiting only for the statute of limitations to run out."]

He claimed that the basic five-year statute of limitations for fine evaders had passed, but the prosecution had already extended it until January 2029. Upon realizing this, he switched to a stalling tactic, claiming he had no assets to pay the fine.

[Kim Hak-rok / Execution Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: "He said, 'All my assets were forfeited and I don't have a single asset left. I cannot pay the fine, so I will do hard labor in a workhouse'..."]

Person A ended up behind bars once again. And here, another problem arises. Those who refuse to pay fines must perform forced labor at a correctional workhouse for a period determined by the court. The problem is that under current law, the maximum detention period in a workhouse is capped at three years, regardless of the fine amount. As mentioned, Person A's unpaid fine is 653.7 billion won. Factoring in various calculations, Person A's confinement period in the workhouse comes out to about two years and eight months. If he simply endures that period, the entire 653.7 billion won will be wiped clean. This translates to an effective daily wage of about 660 million won. This is why critics point out that even when evaders are captured after strenuous efforts, serving so-called "emperor labor" is all they need to do.

[Kim Hak-rok / Execution Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: "It did feel rather disheartening. It effectively amounts to having 20 billion won of fines forgiven every month. I understand the original intent of the workhouse detention system was designed for vulnerable members of society who struggle to pay fines, but (I believe) it should not be exploited as a means to wipe out large fines."]

As of July this year, the total amount of unpaid fines nationwide identified by the prosecution is close to 5.5 trillion won. Person 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 challenge for both the prosecution, which has overseen sentence execution duties, and the soon-to-be-launched Public Prosecution Office. Of course, the reality on the ground makes high expectations difficult.

[Yeom Cheol-jin / Execution Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: "In 2026, the total number of (unpaid) fine cases at the Western District Prosecutors' Office is 1,600. There are only two main investigators assigned. We cannot handle all of them."]

[Kim Hak-rok / Execution Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: "When we go to arrest sites, we encounter a wide variety of situations, and frankly, many of them are very dangerous. (I believe) increasing personnel and expanding investigative equipment are absolute necessities."]

The Supreme Prosecutors' Office told SBS that it is working to enhance capabilities by increasing staff and expanding training for property penalty enforcement, as well as establishing asset tracking systems. Following the report, there were notable reactions suggesting it looked like a promotional video for the prosecution. In reality, it is rare for active prosecution investigators to participate in media coverage while revealing their faces and real names. Why would they step forward, especially when public opinion regarding the prosecution organization is unfavorable? While covering this story, one could glean a glimpse into their motives. Just because the prosecution's signboard may be taken down and disappear does not mean the duties they have handled and must continue to perform will vanish. Someone still has to keep tracking fine evaders and executing sentences. From the perspective of public servants who have carried out this mission with their own bodies in harsh field conditions, it felt like an underlying desire to open the door to change and improvement before it is too late, using any opportunity available, regardless of what the organization's name becomes.

[Yeom Cheol-jin / Execution Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: "Even if a sentence is handed down, it is entirely meaningless unless it is executed. Doing our best to ensure that law enforcement is carried out fairly for everyone—I hope the public will take an interest in this work as well..."]

[Kim Hak-rok / Execution Division, Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office: "It may look like merely arresting a single person, but in reality, I believe it is about protecting public trust that law enforcement must function properly. Moving forward, with principles and a sense of responsibility..."]

The prosecution emphasized that it will continue to do its utmost to realize national justice through strict sentence execution even after the reorganization into the Public Prosecution Office. It leaves one pondering whether right now is the golden hour to overhaul institutional mechanisms, so that those who scoff at national justice, hide away, and stubbornly refuse to pay even when caught can be held accountable to the very end.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.