Man Stole Money From Temple As A Boy, Returns 70 Times The Amount 27 Years Later With An Apology Letter

A repentant South Korean man returned 2 million won (approx. Rs 1.25 lakh) stolen 27 years ago, along with an apology in an anonymous letter.

Representational image of a temple in South Korea.

Source : X/@incunabula

Trending News: A temple management in South Korea was pleasantly surprised when its workers found an anonymous letter in its donation box recently. The envelope carried 2 million won (around Rs 1.25 lakh), and the letter contained an apology — for a theft committed at the same temple nearly three decades ago.        

According to a report in the South China Morning Post, the letter writer was a young boy in 1997, when the Asian financial crisis had severely impacted the economy of South Korea, and he had resorted to stealing 30,000 won from the Jajangam Hermitage at Tongdosa Temple located in Gyeongsang province.    

Quoting the Korea Times, the report said he had taken home the money wrapped in a fishing net.

The man did not disclose his name or any other details in the letter. All he said was that he was sorry for what he did 27 years ago, and that he had lived a "respectable life" by working hard after a pivotal moment came in his life that "transformed" him.

What Changed His Heart?

Quoting the letter, the report said the man had tried to steal again, emboldened by the first successful attempt, but a monk caught him. The monk did not hand him over to the police or call his parents, but just placed a hand on his shoulder, "closed his eyes, and shook his head silently".

This was what he called a "pivotal moment" that transformed him.

“Since that day, I have never desired anything that was not mine. It was as if the monk cast a spell that guided me to be good,” read the letter found on August 20, according to the SCMP report.

The man said in the letter that he was replying a debt by giving 2 million won back to the temple, and apologised for not doing it sooner. 

He also said he was expecting a baby, and wanted to be a father the child would be proud of.

'It Was Such A Difficult Time'

The Korea Times identified the monk mentioned in the letter as Hyeonmun, who still lives at the temple. He reportedly remembered the teen from all those years ago.

South Korea’s economy was massively impacted by the 1997 financial crisis that Asia faced. It had caused several corporates to go bankrupt, resulting in large-scale layoffs, and Hyeonmun recalled how it was a challenging time for many.

“It was such a difficult time, and everyone was struggling, so we didn’t try to catch the thieves. We just let them go,” the monk was quoted as saying in the report.

Hyeonmun also said he would even occasionally leave the box open so no one would have to force it open if they tried to pick money from there.

The monk also had a message for the letter writer who is now a father-to-be: “I believe you will be a wonderful father.”