By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter

A man in his 20s was slapped with a 300,000 won ($220) fine for trying to get 1 won coins in change from a bank.

The Changwon District Court Wednesday fined the 27-year-old for interrupting banking services in an attempt to get nine 1 won coins in change.

According to the court, he purchased 1-gram of gold from a Changwon bank in February. He was supposed to be given 669 won in change but the bank clerk handed over 670 won, citing rareness of the coin. After his repeated calls for nine 1 won coins were rejected, he said ``I won't leave here till you give me 1 won coins.''

The court said, ``He was found to have suffered brain damage. But such behavior had nothing to do with his mental trouble.''

The Bank of Korea churns out five kinds of coins ― 1 won, 10 won, 50 won, 100 won and 500 won. But it only produces a small number of 1 won coins for limited use in the market, making the coin one of the most popular items among collectors.

pss@koreatimes.co.kr