Police said that, as of now, the possibility of homicide is low in connection with the cause of death of Jang Mi-ran, 37, who was found dead.
Jeju Provincial Police Agency said at a background briefing on the 26th that no signs of resistance or struggle have been found at the scene yet, and that, according to the pathologist's verbal opinion, there were no fractures.
Police estimated that Jang died early the morning after leaving the lodging. Even so, they said they are keeping all possibilities open and are conducting detailed examinations, including DNA analysis. The following is a Q&A with officials at the Jeju Provincial Police Agency.
—How Jang Mi-ran's body was found.
"The last base station location of Jang's mobile phone stayed fixed toward Hallim Port. Because the clue to finding the missing person was the base station location, we began the search from Hallim Port toward the breakwater shoreline. We searched with a scent dog and a drone, focusing on the route from the residence to Hallim Port. On the day of discovery, a police officer assigned to the search found Jang in a wooded area.
—The cause and time of death.
"The body was decomposed, so it's not clear, but the pathologist's verbal opinion was that the cause of death is presumed to be death by hanging. We presume the cord was something Jang took from the lodging. Around 10:15 p.m. on May 12, when Jang left home, a base station signal was confirmed near Hallim Port, and it was determined there was no sign of movement until the phone was turned off. It is possible Jang died in the early morning hours after going out, but we cannot be certain."
—Any signs of a crime.
"A mobile phone and other items were found in the pocket as they were. A gold bracelet and ring were also intact. Jang wore slippers when going out and was still wearing all outer and undergarments. The place where Jang was found is like a wooded area that you can enter only by lowering your head, and there were no signs of palm fronds being disturbed or crushed. No signs of resistance or struggle have been found yet. The pathologist's verbal opinion found no fractures. We are conducting detailed examinations, including DNA analysis. We are investigating with all possibilities open."
—Any indications pointing to an extreme choice.
"We cannot conclude that yet. We will check by conducting forensic analysis on Jang's mobile phone to see if related messages emerge and by interviewing acquaintances. There is no record of hospital treatment or prescriptions for depression."
—Why the body went unnoticed for about three months.
"The palm farm official said they had not gone in after pruning early in the year. Because it was an open outdoor environment, there might not have been a smell."
—Why Jang's boyfriend reported it three days later.
"Jang had run away from home before, and at that time also came back after a day or two without contact, so he assumed the same, the boyfriend said. There is no previous record of a missing person report. Because we are keeping all possibilities open, we are not viewing Jang's boyfriend as a suspect, but he is not completely excluded either."
—When the fact was recognized that Sergeant Bu falsely closed Jang's case.
"After the re-report was filed, there was a record stating that the reason for lifting the first report was that the officer had spoken with the person, so we checked the call history. In this process, because the contents of the call could not be confirmed, we considered the possibility that another method was used and checked every possible method, but could not confirm it. So, seeing a possibility of a false closure, we began a preliminary inquiry on the 11th and booked the case on the 14th."
—Did Sergeant Bu have too many missing person cases to handle or face performance pressure.
"Because missing person cases require continuity, the whole team handles them. Lifting or closing does not affect evaluations or performance. It's not exact, but at the time, Sergeant Bu's workload was not excessively heavy to a noticeable degree. Why Sergeant Bu falsely closed the cases is a matter to be confirmed as a key point in the investigation."
—How did Sergeant Bu falsely close the missing person case of a man in his 60s.
"For Jang, it was entered as 'death in a traffic accident,' and for the missing man in his 60s, as 'whereabouts confirmed,' and the cases were closed. The phone number recorded as having spoken directly with the man by Sergeant Bu was not the number the person used."
—Are there any other missing person cases that were re-reported.
"We have not received any reports that there are re-reported cases. However, because there could be more cases that were falsely closed and have simply not been identified yet, we are conducting a full review."