Civil servant jailed for posing as seniors, poor to gain business rights

The Supreme Court said Monday it has confirmed a two-year prison term for a former government worker for abuse of power and using the names of senior citizens and welfare recipients to win the rights to operate stores and vending machines at educational facilities.

South Korea's top court confirmed the lower court ruling that found the former employee of the Daejeon Metropolitan Government guilty of obstruction of performance of official duties by fraudulent means, ordering the seizure of 458 million won ($340,000) in assets.

The investigation found that the defendant won the operating rights of the businesses by pretending to be the eight individuals who are senior citizens or beneficiaries of the state's basic livelihood security program, as they have priority when bidding for such rights. The defendant used the names illegally 46 times in the bids between 2016 and 2022.

The defendant is thought to have accumulated 7 billion won in sales in the six years, while making at least 71 million won in net profit.

While the district court initially sentenced 1 year and 6 months in prison, the appellate court upped the punishment to 2 years and added an asset seizure. It pointed out that the money the defendant made from the stores and vending machines should be considered proceeds of crime, and should be seized by the government.

By Yoon Min-sik(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)