Once Called a Hero, the '20th Century Hong Gil-dong'... Ultimately Just a Common Criminal

Josehyeong Arrested on Theft Charges Under Specific Crimes Aggravated Punishment Act on 17th
Only One Month Between His Release and Reoffending
Previously Captivated Public by Stealing High-Ranking Officials' Items

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Gong Byung-sun] In the 1970s and 1980s, the homes of high-ranking officials such as the Minister of Economic Planning and Deputy Prime Minister, members of the National Assembly, and chaebols, which were difficult to even look at, began to be burglarized. Among these, it became a hot topic when it was revealed that Jang Young-ja’s Waterdrop Diamond, involved in a large-scale promissory note fraud while closely associating with the elite, was also stolen. At that time, diamonds were an import-prohibited item and could never be kept at home unless obtained through illegal channels.

The person who stole the items was Jo Se-hyung (84). Having lived as a street vagabond since childhood, he continued his thefts by jumping over walls, leveraging his height, which was above average at the time. However, on November 25, 1982, he was caught by the police and later served 15 years in prison. The prosecution stated at the time of indictment that the scale of Jo’s thefts was 550 million won, but Jo himself claimed to have stolen 1 billion won.

Jo became even more of a sensation during the trial. His stated principles of theft and his record of targeting only wealthy households aligned, leading the public to perceive him as a 20th-century ‘Hong Gil-dong.’ His principles were as follows:

▲ Do not steal money from poor people.

▲ Use 30% of stolen money to help poor people.

▲ Do not use weapons.

'Do not steal money from poor people' principle captivated the public... started a new life as a religious figure

[Image source=Yonhap News]

After his release, the public supported Jo even more. He said he became a new person spiritually and actually received ordination as a pastor. Moreover, he spread the gospel and helped those in need. In fact, he even founded a missionary organization. He actively utilized his twisted talents as well. He served as an advisor to the country’s largest security company and worked as an instructor visiting police and schools. Based on this experience, he expanded his activities to Japan.

However, Jo was sentenced to 3 years and 6 months in prison again in Japan on theft charges. In November 2000, he was accused of stealing valuables while roaming residential areas in Shibuya, Japan. What disappointed people most was his poor excuse. He reportedly said that his purpose was not money but to “inspect Japan’s security system.”

His principles continue to collapse... he was nothing but a petty criminal, not a hero

His thefts continued afterward, proving that his claim of inspecting security systems was just an excuse. Less than a year after his release, in 2005, he was caught stealing again in Mapo-gu, Seoul, and served another 3 years in prison.

Additionally, in 2010, he was caught acting as a fence who professionally traded or transported stolen goods and served 2 years in prison. During this time, Jo used a weapon such as an electric iron, breaking the principle that had created his ‘Hong Gil-dong’ image.

He continued committing minor crimes afterward. In 2019, he was caught stealing a piggy bank in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, and was released last December. The piggy bank reportedly contained less than 50,000 won. This was also the moment when his most captivating principle, ‘Do not steal money from poor people,’ collapsed.

On the 17th, the Yongin Eastern Police Station announced that they had arrested Jo on charges of theft under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes while stealing valuables in a luxury residential area in Yongin City. The day before, Judge Kim Tae-hyung of Suwon District Court explained, “The criminal charges are substantiated, and there is a risk of evidence destruction.” Since last month, Jo and an accomplice are known to have stolen valuables worth about 33 million won while roaming luxury residential areas in Yongin City, Gyeonggi Province.

The time it took for Jo to commit another crime was only one month. He was released in early December last year after serving a sentence for habitual nighttime residential burglary and attempted theft.

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