Two adults with severe developmental disabilities who shared a single 1,500-won ($1.10) ice cream without paying have become the center of a debate in Korea after police referred them to prosecutors on aggravated theft charges. The Busan Metropolitan Police Agency defended its handling of the case Tuesday, saying officers had followed the law and had no authority to close the case with a warning or other informal measure. Police said they launched an investigation after receiving a theft report from the convenience store owner, reviewing CCTV footage and questioning the suspects. Based on the findings, investigators concluded that the case met the legal definition of aggravated theft under Article 331 of South Korea's Criminal Act, which applies when two or more people jointly commit theft. Police said aggravated theft carries no fine — only penalty under the law and therefore cannot be handled through summary proceedings. They also said officers have no legal authority to dismiss such cases or issue only a warning, leaving referral to prosecutors as the only available legal procedure