A South Korean woman recently made a surprising gesture at the ticket counter of Busan Station. She handed over an envelope containing 2 million Korean won in cash and quickly left, leaving the staff astonished by her unusual behavior. It was later revealed that the woman had evaded train fare 40 years ago and now wanted to make amends by paying back the amount with interest and offering an apology.
According to the Korean Railway Corporation (KORAIL) Busan Gyeongnam branch, on a recent Sunday morning during rush hour, the ticket counter was crowded with passengers purchasing tickets and seeking assistance.
At that moment, a neatly dressed woman in a long coat approached the counter, handed over a bulging envelope, and then walked away. The staff, puzzled by her actions, opened the envelope to find 40 notes of 50,000 Korean won each, totaling 2 million Korean won (approximately $1,370) after counting.
Upon closer inspection, the staff noticed a brief handwritten message on the back of the envelope. It read: “I’m sorry. 40 years ago, I couldn’t afford a train ticket, so I hitched a ride out of necessity. Though many years have passed, I still want to repay the fare I owed back then.” The message ended with an apology, “I’m sorry once again.”
The employees at Busan Station expressed deep respect and gratitude to the anonymous woman who, after many years, remembered to repay her debt and had the courage to apologize. Station manager Seo Pyeong-hwan said, “All of our staff members are touched by the courage of this customer. We will continue to strive to make Busan Station a trusted and beloved station by our customers.”
It is reported that the 2 million Korean won left by the customer will be donated to disadvantaged groups.