The Korea Herald

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Police praise landfill worker for returning W29m to owner

By Lim Jae-seong

Published : March 23, 2024 - 16:01

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Park Jae-geun (right) poses Wednesday after being awarded a prize from Incheon Seobu Police Station at the office of Sudokwon Landfill Site Management Corp. in Incheon. (SLC) Park Jae-geun (right) poses Wednesday after being awarded a prize from Incheon Seobu Police Station at the office of Sudokwon Landfill Site Management Corp. in Incheon. (SLC)

A worker at Sudokwon Landfill Site was heralded by Incheon Seobu Police Station on Wednesday for reporting bundles of banknotes found at the landfill in Incheon, aiding police in finding the owner of the money.

Park Jae-geun found 29 million won ($21,700) at the landfill on Feb. 1 while burying waste, according to local media.

Park is an employee of a subcontractor of Sudokwon Landfill Site Management Corp., the landfill’s operator, and has worked in the field for more than 30 years.

Some of the money was found scattered, but as he spotted two plastic bags filled with bundles of 50,000 won notes, Park gathered the money and reported it to police, in accordance with the rules of the site’s operator.

Bags of money found by Park Jae-geun are seen at Sudokwon Landfill Site in Incheon on Feb. 1. (SLC) Bags of money found by Park Jae-geun are seen at Sudokwon Landfill Site in Incheon on Feb. 1. (SLC)

Using receipts found with the bags, Incheon Seobu Police Station was able to find the money's owner.

Park said it was his duty to report it, expressing gratitude for compliments from police in an interview with local media.

He added that he felt fortunate to find the bags of money in this case, as some mistakenly discarded cherished articles have been buried without being found, though he had searched for them following heartfelt requests.