1. Introduction to the text
This article discusses the case of a man who was caught manufacturing and selling illegal cigarettes in a building near an elementary school in Seoul. The police discovered the illegal operation after receiving complaints about a strange smell in the area.
2. Vocabulary
| Korean Word | Romanization | English Meaning | Contextual Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 담배를 | dambaereul | cigarettes | He was manufacturing and selling cigarettes illegally. |
| 경찰은 | gyeongchaleu | the police | The police discovered the illegal operation after receiving complaints. |
| 담배 | dambae | cigarettes | The police found a cigarette manufacturing facility and 16kg of tobacco leaves. |
| 불법으로 | bullabeullo | illegally | He was manufacturing and selling cigarettes illegally. |
| 냄새가 | naemsaega | smell | There was a strange smell coming from the building. |
3. The main text in both Korean and English
서울 강서구의 한 초등학교 근처 지하에서 이상한 냄새가 났다. 경찰 조사 결과, 이 냄새는 불법으로 담배를 제조하고 있던 20대 남성 때문인 것으로 밝혀졌다.
There was a strange smell coming from the basement of a building near an elementary school in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. After an investigation, the police found that the smell was coming from a 20-year-old man who was illegally manufacturing cigarettes.
경찰은 지난달 8일부터 학교 주변 순찰을 강화해오던 중, 가게 주변에서 담배 냄새와 기계음이 들렸다고 전했다. 이후 약 9일간의 CCTV 분석과 잠복 수사 끝에 가게 안에서 담배를 제조하고 포장하는 모습을 확인했다.
The police said they had been patrolling the area around the school since last month, and during that time, they noticed the smell of cigarettes and the sound of machinery coming from the store. After about 9 days of CCTV analysis and surveillance, they confirmed that the man was manufacturing and packaging cigarettes inside the store.
경찰은 현장을 급습해 담배 제조시설과 함께 담뱃잎 16㎏, 완성된 담배 약 200보루 등을 압수했다. 해당 남성 A씨는 2021년부터 4년간 인터넷 쇼핑몰을 통해 1보루 당 2만5천원 꼴로 담배를 판매해온 것으로 조사되었다.
The police raided the site and seized the cigarette manufacturing facility, 16kg of tobacco leaves, and about 200 packs of finished cigarettes. The suspect, Mr. A, had been selling the cigarettes through an online shopping mall for around 4 years, charging 25,000 won per pack since 2021.
4. Reading comprehension questions
- Where was the illegal cigarette manufacturing operation located?
- How did the police discover the illegal activity?
- What did the police find when they raided the site?
- How long had the suspect been selling the illegal cigarettes?
- How much was the suspect charging per pack of cigarettes?
5. Cultural and historical notes
Cigarette smuggling and illegal cigarette manufacturing are ongoing problems in South Korea, as the high taxes on tobacco products create a lucrative black market. The police regularly conduct operations to crack down on these illegal activities, which can pose safety and health risks to the community.