$1 ice cream theft by disabled adults sparks debate in Korea
Ice cream is displayed at a shop in Seoul. Yonhap
Two adults with severe developmental disabilities who shared a single 1,500-won ($1.10) ice cream without paying have become the center of a debate in Korea after police referred them to prosecutors on aggravated theft charges.
The Busan Metropolitan Police Agency defended its handling of the case Tuesday, saying officers had followed the law and had no authority to close the case with a warning or other informal measure.
Police said they launched an investigation after receiving a theft report from the convenience store owner, reviewing CCTV footage and questioning the suspects. Based on the findings, investigators concluded that the case met the legal definition of aggravated theft under Article 331 of South Korea's Criminal Act, which applies when two or more people jointly commit theft.
Police said aggravated theft carries no fine — only penalty under the law and therefore cannot be handled through summary proceedings. They also said officers have no legal authority to dismiss such cases or issue only a warning, leaving referral to prosecutors as the only available legal procedure.
The incident took place on June 10 at a convenience store in Busan, where the two adults shared one ice cream without paying.
After learning of the incident, the suspects' parents apologized to the store owner and paid 200,000 won in compensation. The owner also said they did not want the pair to be punished.
Despite the settlement, police referred the case to prosecutors on aggravated theft charges because the alleged offense involved two people acting together.
Prosecutors later decided not to indict the pair, citing the fact that they were first-time offenders, had reached a settlement with the victim and hadpaid compensation.
Police said investigators took the suspects' disabilities into full consideration throughout the investigation.
"The suspects were questioned in the presence of their parents, who served as trusted guardians," the agency said. "We comprehensively considered that they have severe developmental disabilities, that the financial damage was minor and that they admitted to and reflected on their actions."
The agency added that the compensation and settlement reached during the investigation were fully reflected in its referral, which played a key role in the prosecution's decision to suspend indictment.
Police also said they would continue to ensure fairness before the law while paying closer attention to the circumstances of socially vulnerable people, including those with disabilities. The agency added that it would review possible institutional improvements for handling minor offenses that could otherwise be resolved through summary proceedings or warnings.
The families of the two suspects, however, said police applied the aggravated theft charge without adequately considering the severity of their disabilities or the circumstances of the incident. They are reportedly planning to file an abuse-of-authority complaint against the investigator in charge.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.