65 Million Won for a Cat?

The Criminal Department I of Seoul Central District Public Prosecutor`s Office indicted Gwak (40), the owner of a pet cat shop in Songpa-gu, Seoul, without detention on suspicion of fraud. Gwak had lied to Park, a female medical doctor who is a cat lover, about obtaining for her a world-renowned cat and stole a total of 65 million won from her in September 2003.

Gwak told Park that an old woman whose male cat won the grand championship from the prestigious Cat Fancier`s Association (CFA) in Germany had passed away and that her cat would be put up for auction. Gwak also said that he would go to Germany two months later and bring back the cat to Park if she gave him 50 million won.

Gwak, who actually didn’t go to Germany, met Park two months later and told her that he needed an additional 15 million won because someone else was willing to pay 100 million won for the cat.

With a similar trick, he seized more money from other people, too.

He lied to female customers who visited his shop by convincing them that they could make 100-200 million won annually if they bought a cat with a good pedigree and then sell the kittens.

In March and April 2003, Gwak also told another woman Kim that he would get her a male and four female Colourpoint cats if she gives him 33.68 million won, and he also received an additional 20 million won for a world champion male Colourpoint cat in September the same year, seizing a total amount of 53.68 million won from the woman.

Jin-Kyun Kil leon@donga.com