Sorry and Sorry Again… I Am Still Your Mother [Finding Lost Family]

[Financial News] "I'm worried that my daughter might think she was abandoned and won't look for her mother. I just feel sorry and sorry again for not being able to fulfill my role as a parent properly."
Jang Won-ja mentioned her daughter Lee Da-eun, who went missing over 30 years ago (currently 37 years old, pictured), and said this. She still introduces herself as "I am Da-eun's mother, Jang Won-ja." Even though decades have passed since her daughter disappeared, the fact that she is a mother has not changed.
Lee went missing on March 12, 1991, in Nam-gu, Daegu. It happened while Jang left her daughter on a rocking horse in front of the house to do some housework. At that time, Lee was 2 years old, an age too young to walk far alone. Jang recalled that she was scolded by her mother-in-law that morning for only taking care of the child and not doing housework, which made her neglectful of the child.
The mother-in-law reported seeing a person, presumed to be a local, taking the daughter away. Although they suspected the possibility of abduction, no contact was ever made.
However, Jang's husband and mother-in-law were indifferent to the daughter's disappearance. Even when Jang was frantically searching for her daughter and stopped eating, they were indifferent, saying, "The living must live." Jang suffered from severe depression from that time. She eventually parted ways with her husband, who was also abusive, after more than a decade.
Jang searched every corner of the neighborhood for her daughter. She reported the disappearance to the police and distributed flyers, but there was no trace of Lee. In desperation, she even visited a shaman to perform a ritual. Whenever she received a tip about a child resembling Lee, she rushed over, only to be disappointed each time. Jang, who took on the responsibility of living while searching for her daughter, gradually became exhausted.
Jang said that she still vividly remembers her young daughter begging, "Make me up too," whenever she put on makeup. One of the unforgettable memories is buying a roll of kimbap and banana-flavored milk when going grocery shopping with Lee.
Jang burst into tears as she talked about her memories with her daughter. She said she cries whenever she sees a woman of her daughter's age on the street. Jang sobbed, saying, "Da-eun might be an adult by now and could even be married," and "I wish I could have given her nice clothes at least once."
Jang worried that her daughter might have lived her life feeling abandoned and unhappy. She lamented that even though she registered her DNA with the police and registered as a missing person with the Child Rights Protection Agency, no contact has been made, possibly due to resentment towards her mother.
She emphasized, "When I think about Da-eun believing she was abandoned and being sad, my heart breaks," and "If we ever meet again, I want to say 'I'm so sorry for losing you.'" She added, "I hope Da-eun grew up healthy and happy," and "My lifelong wish is to find my daughter and hug her at least once."
Lee reportedly had long hair and her front teeth were serrated at the time of her disappearance. She had white spots on her back and arms, and a faint spot on her left wrist. She was wearing a red T-shirt, red long pants, and white sneakers.

banaffle@fnnews.com Yoon Hong-jip Reporter