Police refers man to prosecutors for exploiting intellectually disabled neighbor

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Published: 08 Sep. 2025, 21:55

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

Cheongju Sangdang Police Precinct in North Chungcheong said it has referred a man in his 70s to prosecutors on charges of exploiting a neighbor with an intellectual disability.

Police said the man forced the neighbor, also in his 70s and intellectually disabled, to work on his fields on two occasions in 2023 and again in 2024 without pay. Investigators allege he also used the victim’s welfare credit card, distributed by the government to those with disabilities, to buy about 1.5 million won, or $1,080, worth of tax-free fuel.

The case was sent to prosecutors without detention on charges including fraud and violations of the Welfare of Disabled Persons Act. Police opened the investigation in February after receiving a complaint from the victim.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JUNG SI-NAE [[email protected]]