Former Embassy Staff Embezzled Public Funds 243 Times Over 6 Years... Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison

A former employee of the Embassy in Germany who embezzled over 700 million won of embassy funds over six years was sentenced to two years in prison.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Choyoung] A former embassy employee who embezzled over 700 million won of embassy funds over six years has been sentenced to prison.

On the 16th, according to the legal community, the Gwangju District Court Criminal Division 12 (Chief Judge No Jaeho) sentenced former staff member A of the Korean Embassy in Germany, who was indicted without detention on charges of embezzlement under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes, to two years in prison and ordered immediate detention.

The court stated, "A took advantage of the fact that other embassy staff did not thoroughly check accounting documents written in German and committed the crime," adding, "The method of forging various documents over a long period to misappropriate public funds is reprehensible."

It continued, "Although A's full repayment of the embezzled amount has a positive effect in preventing similar crimes, the loss to the national treasury is ultimately covered by taxpayers' money," and "It is necessary to give a lesson against the wrongful belief among public officials that they can recklessly cause and then cover losses to the national treasury, thus imposing a severe sentence," explaining the sentencing rationale.

A is accused of forging various documents such as remittance slips and receipts 243 times from 2013 to 2018, embezzling 570,000 euros (approximately 750 million won).

During the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' internal investigation, upon confirmation of the embezzlement, A immediately admitted to the crime, repaid over 200 million won, and entrusted the disposal rights of a house registered under his name in Germany to the embassy, thereby fully repaying the embezzled amount.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.