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Bank employee who embezzed nearly 400 million won sentenced to 8 months in prison

Published: 15 Aug. 2025, 13:30

An image of a statue of Justitia, the goddess of justice [KOREA JOONGANG DAILY]

A bank employee in his 40s who embezzled nearly 400 million won ($288,000) from his workplace by hiding cash in his socks and coat pockets to fund his gambling, has been sentenced to prison.

The Chuncheon District Court on Friday sentenced the 45-year-old bank teller to eight months in prison for occupational embezzlement.

The teller, who worked at a bank in Hongcheon, Gangwon, was indicted for stealing a total of 212 million won in December 2024. He allegedly stuffed bundles of 50,000-won bills into his socks on six occasions and smuggled them out of the bank vault.

He also took 150 million won in bank funds stored at his desk and around $20,000 in cash hidden in paper bags and coat pockets. In total, he embezzled over 391 million won.

Investigators found that he used the stolen money to fund online gambling.

The court said the sentence took into account several factors: the defendant had no prior convictions more serious than a fine, a significant portion of the stolen funds had been returned, multiple acquaintances had submitted petitions for leniency and the defendant appeared to be making efforts to overcome his gambling addiction, which was the main cause of the crime.

BY HYEON YE-SEUL [[email protected]]