A total of 1.4 billion won ($1.3 million) of cash was lost on the subway in Seoul over the past three years, Seoul Metro said Sunday. About 85 percent of the money was returned to their owners.

Items found in subway stations and trains are kept for seven days at lost-and-found centers. If no one claims the items, they are handed over to police stations, where they are kept for nine more months until they become property of the state. 

The amount of money found on Subway Line Nos. 1 to 8 between January 2014 and December 2016 showed a yearly upward climb. In 2014, 340 million won was reported missing. The figure climbed to 460 million won in 2015 and 590 million won in 2016. During the period, approximately 130 million won went to police stations, as their owners did not turn up. Cash takes up about 7 percent of all lost items.

If you have lost items on the subway, try to remember the number of the train car you boarded and the time you were aboard, said Seoul Metro.

On Nov. 20, a Chinese tourist left a shopping bag that contained 4 million won in cash on Subway Line No. 4, but found it in 2 1/2 hours with the help of metro staff.

Lost items are posted online at www.lost112.go.kr.

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)