PANews reported on December 3 that according to Yonhap News Agency, the Cheongju District Court sentenced a public official of the Cheongju City Government to five years in prison for embezzlement of public funds. Over a period of seven years starting from January 2017, he embezzled 600 million won (427,800 U.S. dollars) to invest in cryptocurrencies and stocks and repay personal debts. He reportedly forged official documents in the plan.