Group Behind 'Underground Bunker Marijuana' Operation Indicted for Defrauding 1 Billion Won in Youth Farming Subsidies

The government's joint investigation team on drug crimes announced today (July 14) that it has indicted two individuals, already on trial for the so-called "underground bunker marijuana" case, on additional charges of fraud and violating the Subsidy Management Act for allegedly misappropriating over 1 billion won in government funds.
The investigation team stated that the two suspects, identified as A (currently in custody) and B (not in custody), both in their 30s, were additionally charged with violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Economic Crimes (fraud), fraud, and violating the Subsidy Management Act.
The suspects, who were initially caught in March for charges including marijuana cultivation, are now accused of exploiting the "Youth Startup Successor Farmer" support program organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs to siphon off farming funds.
Investigators found that A and B deceived local governments and financial institutions by feigning eligibility through methods such as false residential registration, despite having no intention of actually engaging in agriculture.
Through these schemes, they received a total of 950 million won in loans from NongHyup at a low interest rate of 1.5% between July 2023 and October 2023, under the pretext of purchasing farmland and installing smart farms.
Furthermore, it was discovered that from February 2024 to February 2026, they pocketed a total of 43.64 million won in monthly farming settlement subsidies and even received electricity bill discounts for agricultural use.
The investigation revealed that they used the misappropriated government subsidies to construct vinyl greenhouses and underground bunkers, where they cultivated marijuana under the guise of growing basil.
In addition, during the investigation, the joint team confirmed that the suspects had cultivated an additional 22 marijuana plants starting in September 2024, beyond the 134 plants initially discovered. The team has filed a request to the court to amend the existing indictment.
A spokesperson for the joint investigation team stated, "This crime exploited the fact that government subsidy programs often select recipients based solely on submitted plans without verifying the actual start of farming, and that post-selection management is weak." The spokesperson added, "The joint investigation team will uncover the full extent of the crimes by digging into not only drug offenses but also related criminal activities."
(Photo courtesy of Yonhap News TV, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.