Elementary Student Branded a Thief After Buying 800-Won Ice Cream... Parent Files Complaint Against Unmanned Store Owner

[Financial News] An elementary school student who properly paid at an unmanned store was wrongly accused of being an 'ice cream thief,' with his face publicly displayed. The child's parents, feeling deeply wronged, have filed a complaint with the Police against the store owner.
According to the Police and other sources on the 22nd, Ms. B, the mother of Student A, who was accused of stealing ice cream at an unmanned store in Incheon, has filed a defamation complaint against Mr. C, the store owner.
On the 11th of last month, Student A visited the unmanned store after finishing his academy classes, purchased an ice cream for 800 won, and transferred the exact amount to the account listed in the store, including his name and the product name.
However, about three weeks later, on the 1st of this month, Student A returned to the same store and was shocked by what he saw.
Two clear Closed-circuit television (CCTV) photos showing his face were posted on one wall of the shop. Below the photos, a message read, 'If you know this person, please contact us,' along with Mr. C's mobile phone number.
It was reported that Student A's photos remained posted in the store for about a week.
Ms. B expressed her distress, stating, 'Due to the store owner's careless actions, my child has suffered significant emotional harm.'
Mr. C explained, 'I was informed by another student that someone had taken an item without paying, so I checked the CCTV footage but did not see the payment scene, which led to my misunderstanding.' He added, 'After being contacted by the parents, I reviewed the account records and removed the photos the very next day. I apologize for not being more careful as an adult.'
However, Ms. B stated, 'I filed a complaint with the Police because I was concerned that other children might suffer the same harm if this incident was overlooked.'
The Police have recently completed questioning the complainant and plan to summon Mr. C soon to investigate the circumstances surrounding the posting of the photos.


jjw@fnnews.com Jung Ji-woo Reporter