A public official in Cheongju City was sentenced to prison for embezzling public funds and investing in virtual currency.

The Cheongju District Court sentenced A in his 40s to five years in prison for stealing a large amount of public money and using it for virtual currency investment.

The court said it considered the fact that it had repeatedly committed the crime for a long time and had paid off only part of the damage.

A is accused of embezzling 600 million won in public funds by forging various official documents while in charge of student labor activities and supporting North Korean defectors' settlement projects at Cheongju City Hall for seven years from 2017.

According to the investigation, A reportedly used the stolen money to invest in virtual currency or stocks or pay off personal debt.