Man in 60s Arrested for 8 Years of Exploitation and Embezzlement of Intellectually Disabled Person's Benefits

A man in his 60s has been taken into legal custody for allegedly exploiting a person with an intellectual disability for over eight years, forcing them to work on a farm without pay and siphoning off their basic livelihood welfare payments. The case came to light after a disability protection organization discovered the eight years of abuse and reported it. The exploitation was uncovered when the organization found Mr. A, an individual with an intellectual disability, wandering around in worn-out clothes and reported his situation.

The court, after reviewing the submitted evidence and witness testimonies, acknowledged all of the defendant's charges. The court deemed the defendant's crime grave, citing his act of not paying wages and resorting to violence under the guise of protecting Mr. A, an individual with an intellectual disability. He was sentenced to eight months in prison and ordered to be detained. The court also ordered the full restitution of the embezzled 6.58 million won. The court pointed out the defendant's lack of remorse.

Cases of exploiting disabled labor continue to occur. In April, a man in his 60s was sentenced to three years in prison for exploiting an individual with an intellectual disability for over a decade at a salt farm in Sinan County, South Jeolla Province. One disability rights group argued that the situation constituted modern-day forced labor, citing that the victim's work was not based on free will and that the environment made escape difficult.