In the left photo, a man is captured on CCTV dropping a bundle of cash, while the right photo shows a high school girl who found and returned the money to its owner. Captured from police YouTube channel

A high school student's display of honesty has garnered widespread attention after she returned 1.22 million won ($1,000) found on a street in Hadong, South Gyeongsang Province. The money was dropped by a man riding his bicycle through an alley, police said Thursday.

The heartwarming story that unfolded on the evening of Feb. 27 has come to light belatedly. The unidenfied cash owner was unaware of the loss as he continued on his way. The bundle of cash cascaded from his pocket, fluttering down unnoticed as he continued on his path. The bills were left neglected on the street, trampled by passing vehicles.

Shortly thereafter, a first-year high school student stumbled upon the notes and paused. She scanned her surroundings, then captured the scene of the abandoned money with her phone. Crouching down, she began picking up each bill one by one. After gathering all the money, she promptly headed to a nearby police station to report her find.

When asked why she decided to return the money, she said, "People have a conscience. Even though no one was around, I would have regretted using the money myself."

In Korea, failing to report found property can lead to charges of embezzlement of lost property, with penalties including up to 1 year in jail or fines up to 3 million won.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, was translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.