Busanjin Police Station [Provided by Yonhap News TV]

Controversy has arisen after the police referred two adults in their 30s with severe developmental disabilities to the prosecution on charges of special larceny for sharing a 1,500-won ice cream bar from a convenience store without paying for it.

According to the Busanjin Police Station and other sources on the 13th, the two individuals, identified as A and another, shared an unpaid ice cream bar at a convenience store in Busan on the 10th of last month.

Upon learning of the incident, the parents of the disabled individuals apologized to the store, paid 100,000 won in compensation, and the store owner expressed that they did not wish for the individuals to be punished.

However, the Busanjin Police Station applied charges of special larceny to the two and referred the case to the prosecution.

The charge of special larceny is applied when two or more people act together to steal another person's property.

The prosecution later granted them a suspension of indictment.

The decision took into account that while the offense was acknowledged, they were first-time offenders, had reached a settlement with the victim, and the victim did not wish to press charges.

The families of the individuals with developmental disabilities are protesting the police investigation.

It is reported that the families intend to file a complaint against the investigating officer for abuse of power.

The police explained that there was no legal way to avoid referring the case, as the situation technically fell under the legal definition of special larceny.

A police official stated, "Because special larceny is a crime that carries mandatory prison time, it is not eligible for a review of minor offenses. Therefore, referring the case to the prosecution to receive a suspension of indictment was the best possible course of action," adding, "We referred the case to the prosecution while including all mitigating factors, such as the fact that the suspects are individuals with severe disabilities."