The remains of 16 humans found at a construction site in Sokcho, Gangwon Province, last week have raised questions over who they were as well as when and why they were buried there.

According to Sokcho Police Station, the bones and skeletons were discovered under a Gingko tree Thursday by a worker who was digging there with an excavator for the setting up of a parking lot. The bones found have no visible signs of injuries.

Given the tree’s age of at least 50 years old, investigators initially thought that the remains could be soldiers who died during the 1950-53 Korean War. 

But an analysis by the military suggested otherwise. The remains are unlikely to be of the war dead, as they differ in age and gender, and no identification items usually buried with the corpses of military personnel were found.

Based on an analysis of jaw bones and dental conditions, those buried are said to be a diverse group, including a young child, a 20-something man and an elderly woman. 

The police are now looking at the possibility of an old graveyard being unearthed by the construction work, based on testimonies from residents who have lived in the area for over 80 years.

But questions linger, as the remains were found too close to one another to assume they were buried separately in a cemetery. There is still the possibility that the remains were relocated from a graveyard for some reason and buried altogether. 

Local communities suspect that it could be the victims of a tsunami that swept through Sokcho in 1968, leaving 33 dead or missing. 

Police said they requested the National Forensic Service to carry out a detailed assessment on the remains. 

By Kim Da-sol  (ddd@heraldcorp.com)