Not Just One Year, But 29... Man in His 70s Indicted and Detained for Forcing Neighbor with Intellectual Disability into Labor for Decades

A man in his 70s has been indicted and detained for forcing a neighbor with a severe intellectual disability to work on his farm for decades.

The Criminal Division 1 of the Cheongju District Prosecutors' Office, led by Chief Prosecutor Kim Jaenam, announced on September 23 that it had indicted and detained a man in his 70s, identified as Mr. A, on charges of violating the Welfare of Persons with Disabilities Act and fraud.

Mr. A, who resides in Cheongju, is accused of forcing his neighbor, Mr. B, who is also in his 70s and has a level 3 intellectual disability, to work on his farmland from 1995 until May 2023. He is also charged with fraudulently obtaining a tax-exempt fuel card in Mr. B's name and using it to steal tax-exempt fuel worth 1.5 million won.

Initially, the police had referred Mr. A to prosecutors without detention, recognizing only two incidents in 2023 due to insufficient evidence. However, the prosecution detained him after additional witness statements supported the allegation that Mr. A had exploited Mr. B's labor for several decades.