Finders keepers: South Korean janitor could keep discarded gold bars
The owner has six months to come forward for the gold, which was found in a garbage bin at Incheon Airport
By Kang Aa-young
A stroke of luck? A janitor may become the legitimate owner of seven bars of gold, worth 350 million won (US$327,000), which he found in a garbage bin in Incheon International Airport.
Police identified the Korean owner of the gold bars, each weighing one kilogramme and found wrapped in newspapers, and concluded he had discarded them for fear of being caught.
So far, the owner hasn’t come forward. If the owner doesn’t make a claim in six months, the janitor would take ownership of the cache according to a “finders keepers” law.
In case the owner shows up, the janitor will still be able to keep about five per cent to 20 per cent of the market price of the gold, or 17.5 million won (US$163,000) to 70 million won (US$653,000), according to the “lost articles act” in South Korea.
Here is the catch: He will not be able to keep a penny if the gold is a tainted good or connected to criminal activity.