수십억 자산가인 50대男, 노숙하는 이유는...

Published : Dec 3, 2013 - 16:05 Updated : Dec 3, 2013 - 16:05

최근에 경찰에 "19억이 든 지갑을 잃어버렸다"고 신고한 50대 남성이 2년전 화제가 되었던 '50억원 노숙자'라는 게 밝혀졌다.

한 매체가 3일 보도한 바에 따르면 박모 (53)씨는 지난달 28일 오후 10시쯤, 인천 부평철도경찰센터를 찾아 "지하철을 타고 부천역으로 향하던 중 깜빡 잠이 들어 인천역까지 왔는데 1억원짜리 수표 19장 등 19억 1200만원이 든 지갑이 사라졌다"고 전했다.

박씨는 이어 자신이 과거에 언론을 통해 보도되었던 "50억 노숙자"라고 밝혔다. 이 인물과 박씨의 이름과 나이는 동일한 것으로 알려졌다.

박씨의 사연은 지난 2011년 8월, 그가 자신의 1000만원 상당의 금품과 신분증, 현금 500만원이 든 가방에 대한 분실신고를 하면서 알려졌다.

경찰조사 끝에 밝혀진 바에 따르면 충남 논산 출신인 박씨는 젊은 시절 부모님에게 물려받은 토지 보상금 50억원 정도를 은행에 넣어둔 채, 이자로만 매월 1000만원이 넘는 돈을 받으며 노숙을 해왔다고 한다.

박씨가 많은 재산에도 불구하고 결혼도 하지 않고, 집도 사지 않으며 노숙생활을 해온 이유는 "세상살이에 별다른 흥미가 없어서"인 것으로 알려졌다.

<관련 영문 기사>

‘Homeless millionaire’ lost wallet containing $1.8 million

By Yoon Min-sik and news reports

A South Korean homeless man told the police last Thursday he had lost a wallet containing 1.91 billion won ($1.8 million) in it, local media reported Monday.

The 53-year-old surnamed Park reported to the police at Bupyeong-gu, Incheon, that he was missing a wallet which had contained 19 cashier’s checks each worth 100 million won, along with 12 million won in cash. Park said he had lost the wallet after he fell asleep on the subway on route to Bucheon Station.

Police asked the bank to nullify what Park claimed to be his checks and began an investigation.

“We are considering multiple possibilities including theft, since his wallet was lost while he was sleeping,” said an official from the Regional Railroad Police.

Investigators found that Park’s age and name matched those of the famous “five-billion-won homeless man,” whose story was made pubic via numerous news reports two years ago.

In August 2011, Park told the authorities that he lost a bag while sleeping in a park. After police caught the man who stole the bag, they found in it 10 million won worth of valuables and 5 million won in cash.

It was later revealed that Park had inherited some 5 billion won from his parents when he was young.

Despite his wealth, Park said that he “failed to find a particular interest in the world.” He has no home, no job, no spouse and said that sleeping in the streets suited him best, as lodging in a hotel or a motel was like “living in prison.”

Park deposited all his money in the bank in 2010, and had been living off the interest since, according to the authorities.

“I can’t tell you the specifics, but he gets over 10 million won in interest every month,” a police official said.

(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)