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| A truck driver was fined for eating a 400-won Choco Pie |
A truck driver in South Korea has been fined for eating a 400-won Choco Pie from the company fridge without permission — a seemingly small act that led to a legal penalty.
On May 4, the 6th Criminal Division of Jeonju District Court (Presiding Judge Kim Hyun-ji) sentenced the 41-year-old man to pay a 50,000 won fine for theft.
What Happened?
The incident took place at 4:06 a.m. on January 18 of last year at a logistics company in Wanju, North Jeolla Province (Jeollabuk-do).
The driver was charged with stealing and eating a Choco Pie (valued at 400 won) and another snack worth 600 won from a refrigerator in the office of the logistics company.
Why Was This Considered Theft?
Although prosecutors treated the case as a minor offense and proposed a simplified penalty, the driver insisted on a formal trial, claiming he was innocent.
“My colleagues often said we could eat the snacks in the fridge,” the man explained. “I didn’t realize it would be considered stealing.”
However, the company representative in charge of the refrigerator clarified:
“We used to distribute snacks to drivers, but we never allowed them to take food from the fridge without asking.”
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| A truck driver was fined for eating a 400-won Choco Pie |
Fridge Access Was Off-Limits
The court took into account the building layout and conflicting testimonies.
It was revealed that the second floor of the building was divided into:
- An office space for staff
- A waiting area for drivers
The fridge was located in the office area, where drivers were not permitted to enter.
A security guard also testified: “I didn’t even know there was a fridge in the office area, and I’ve never eaten snacks from there.”
Based on these details, the court concluded that the driver knew he was not authorized to access or consume the food.
What's Next?
The man disagrees with the court's ruling and has filed an appeal with a higher court, maintaining that he believed the snacks were free for everyone.
📚 Learn Korean Through This News
Korean Text:
"물류회사 사무실 냉장고에서 과자를 꺼내 먹은 죄로 법정까지 선 화물차 기사에게 유죄가 선고됐다. 전주지법 형사6단독(김현지 판사)은 절도 혐의로 기소된 A(41)씨에게 벌금 5만원을 선고했다고 4일 밝혔다."
Key Vocabulary:
- 물류회사 (mul-ryu-hoe-sa) – logistics company
- 사무실 냉장고 (sa-mu-sil naeng-jang-go) – office refrigerator
- 과자 (gwa-ja) – snack / cookie
- 꺼내 먹다 (kkeo-nae meok-da) – to take out and eat
- 죄 (joe) – crime / offense
- 법정에 서다 (beop-jeong-e seo-da) – to stand trial / to appear in court
- 유죄가 선고되다 (yu-jwe-ga seon-go-dwe-da) – to be found guilty
- 전주지법 (Jeon-ju-ji-beop) – Jeonju District Court
- 절도 혐의 (jeol-do hyeo-mi) – theft charge / suspicion of theft
- 기소되다 (gi-so-dwe-da) – to be prosecuted
- 벌금 (beol-geum) – fine (monetary penalty)
- 선고하다 (seon-go-ha-da) – to sentence / to pronounce judgment
Grammar Notes:
- ~로 기소되다 → 절도 혐의로 기소되다: "To be prosecuted for ~" — used in legal contexts.
- ~에 서다 → 법정에 서다: Literally "to stand at (the court)", meaning to appear in court
- ~다고 밝혔다: Standard news grammar used to quote official statements: 선고했다고 밝혔다 = "(it was) announced that (the sentence was) delivered."
Language Insight:
- In Korean legal news, 혐의 is used to describe suspicion or charge, not guilt.
- The fine here (벌금 5만원) is relatively small, indicating a minor offense but still a legal issue.
- 사무실 냉장고에서 과자를 꺼내 먹은 죄로 법정까지 선 is an example of how Korean condenses complex events into short phrases, a common style in headlines.
Translation:
"A truck driver who stood trial for taking snacks from the refrigerator in a logistics company office has been found guilty. On the 4th, the Jeonju District Court’s 6th Criminal Division (Judge Kim Hyun-ji) announced that Mr. A (41), charged with theft, was fined 50,000 won."
References: yonhap news, hani news, hankyung news
Related Keywords:
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