"7 Billion Won Gone"... Apartment Accountant Disappears with Ledger

Police Tracking Suspect After Imposing Travel Ban
Residents Form Emergency Committee to Manage Crisis

It has been two weeks since a 40-something accounting staff member disappeared after embezzling around 700 million won in maintenance fees from an apartment complex in Gwangju, but the police have yet to locate the suspect. The police have even deployed the criminal investigation unit in pursuit.

Gwangsan Police Station in Gwangju.

Gwangsan Police Station in Gwangju announced on the 19th that they have obtained an arrest warrant and are tracking down B (48), an accounting staff member at Apartment A, on suspicion of occupational embezzlement.

B, who had been solely responsible for accounting at Apartment A, which houses 1,500 households, for 25 years, is suspected of embezzling around 700 million won in maintenance fees and long-term repair reserves over the past decade. On the 5th, B suddenly disappeared without coming to work, taking the maintenance fee account book and accounting records. The embezzlement was discovered during a belated audit by the management office, and a complaint was filed with the police.

The police believe B has gone into hiding, turning off their mobile phone and cutting off contact with family. As a precaution against possible escape abroad, B has been banned from leaving the country.

With the search dragging on, the police have deployed the criminal investigation unit, which handles major cases, and are using various investigative techniques to track B’s whereabouts. A police official stated, "Once we secure the suspect, we plan to investigate the circumstances of the embezzlement and the use of the funds."

Meanwhile, Apartment A, having lost a large sum in maintenance fees, has urgently formed an emergency response committee to handle the situation. The apartment has requested to pay public utility bills such as electricity and water in installments, and is collecting an additional 250,000 to 300,000 won in maintenance fees from each household to keep operations running. They are considering a plan to refund the additional payments in the future.

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