"A Delicate Woman Standing 157 cm Tall" ... Questions Raised by a Jeju Resident

[Financial News] A resident of Jeju Province has raised questions about the police investigation into the death of a woman in her 30s, identified as Jang, who was found dead 104 days after going missing in Jeju. Citing the palm farm where the body was discovered and the circumstances of the search, the writer argued that the case is difficult to accept.
On the 27th, a post titled "This is a Jeju palm tree in our yard" appeared on an online community. The writer, who said he has lived in Jeju Province for seven years, uploaded photos of the palm trees he grows and raised questions about the location where Jang's body was found.
The writer first explained the structure of the palm trees. He said, "The tall, slender tree on the left is a Washington palm, the one on the right is the Canary palm reported at the time of the incident, and the small tree below is a Cycas revoluta," adding, "Palm trees have no side branches, and the trunk is so wide that even an adult man would struggle to wrap both arms around it."
He also said the way the body was found was hard to understand. The writer asked, "The spot where the palm leaves fall is also very sharp. Where could a delicate woman standing 157 cm tall have tied a rope? Does that seem possible?" Regarding the police finding the body about an hour after beginning the search, 104 days after the disappearance, he said, "Then what did the police do for the past three months?"
He also took issue with allegations that an active-duty police officer falsely closed the case. The writer said, "They deleted the case profiling data and closed the case as a traffic accident death," and asked, "Why was the family not informed?"
He also raised questions about the fact that the body was found in a skeletal state. The writer wrote, "If skeletal decomposition had progressed over three months in a hanging death, I cautiously assume the woman's body and neck may not have remained attached, no matter how light her weight was."
The writer also expressed anxiety over the recent string of body discoveries in Jeju Province. He wrote, "It is simply shocking that the bodies of two people were found only in the area near where I live," and added, "I go hiking on the Jeju Olle Trail and do freediving, but I am a little afraid I might encounter the deceased in the sea or near the walking paths." He then said, "I pray for the repose of those who have passed away."

Earlier, Jang disappeared after being seen on CCTV leaving the lodging where she had been staying long-term in Jeju at around 10:15 p.m. on May 12.
At 10:46 a.m. on the 24th, police found Jang's body at a palm farm near Daerim-ri, Hallim-eup, Jeju City. On the 27th, the Jeju Provincial Police Agency said, based on the autopsy by the National Forensic Service, that the cause of death could be considered as asphyxiation by hanging.

Meanwhile, the investigation continues into the active-duty police officer suspected of falsely closing Jang's case. Jang's funeral was held at around 10:00 a.m. on the 28th at a funeral hall in Jeju City.


[email protected] Han Seung-gon Reporter