Snack Thief Acquitted After 2-Year Legal Fight

A South Korean logistics worker, accused of "stealing" snacks worth less than a dollar, has been acquitted following a legal challenge that spanned nearly two years. The company had filed a claim against him for taking a Choco Pie and a mini custard from an office refrigerator.

Despite an initial guilty verdict and a fine of 50,000 won (approximately fifty times the snack's value), the worker appealed. The appellate court overturned the decision, noting that the drivers had been informed they could eat snacks in the office and that security staff also consumed them during night shifts.

With statements from 39 other subcontracted workers supporting his claim, the court concluded it was difficult to prove the intent to steal. The case had sparked significant public outcry, with labor unions drawing parallels to literary characters jailed for minor thefts driven by necessity.