Pyo Chang-won, head of the Pyo Chang-won Crime Science Research Institute, said it is premature to conclude suicide as the cause of death in the case of Jang Mi-ran, who was found dead in Jeju 104 days after going missing.
On the 25th, on CBS Radio's "Park Seong-tae's News Show," Pyo said, "Under profiling and forensic principles, at this stage no assumptions or conclusions can be made."
Pyo noted that at the scene there were no signs of a physical struggle, no indications a third party had come and gone, and no traces of moving or abandoning the body, and that a preliminary examination suggested death by hanging.
Pyo explained, "Death by hanging means asphyxiation from neck compression due to gravity, and in many cases it is likely self-inflicted," but added, "We cannot rule out the possibility that other factors could have produced the same result, so we must judge cautiously."
He went on to stress that even if decomposition of the body had progressed considerably, the autopsy by the National Forensic Service and the police's forensic investigation must determine the exact cause of death and whether a third party was involved.
He strongly criticized the initial investigation process. Pyo said that, given the clothing, belongings, and closed-circuit (CC) TV at the time, investigators should have prioritized the possibility of travel on foot, adding, "If police had not falsely recorded that contact was made and had continued the search, it might have been found earlier, regardless of survival."
Regarding the officer who falsely closed the missing-person case, he said it was "a clear criminal act abusing the police position, authority, and system." He then pointed out that the officer had handled 298 cases over about one year and five months, saying, "A full review is necessary."