DNA test confirms discovered body to be missing girl

By Lim Jeong-yeo

Published : June 25, 2018 - 23:18

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A body found on a remote mountain in Gangjin, South Jeolla Province, was confirmed to be that of the 16-year-old schoolgirl who went missing nine days ago.

Jeonnam Provincial Police said Monday that a DNA test of the body matched that of the missing girl.

The victim was last seen alive on June 16, when she left her house for a part-time job offered by her father's friend.

In her last recorded conversation with a friend, the victim said through a message on social media that she was meeting the man, 51, and that she would like the friend to keep the job offer a secret.

Police carry the body found on Maebongsan mountain in Gangjin, South Jeolla Province, Sunday. (Yonhap)

After the victim's disappearance, her mother visited the family friend to ask about the daughter, upon which the man fled the house. He was found dead the next day in an apparent suicide.

The victim’s body was found near the steep peak of Maebongsan, a mountain in Gangjin, Sunday. Her DNA sample was detected from a sickle found in the trunk of the car of the late family friend, the prime suspect in the case.

The police will run a second autopsy to determine the exact cause of the victim’s death.

Earlier on Monday, the police ran the first autopsy but due to the level of decomposition, they were unable to find clear signs of struggle or scars on the body.

The victims’ clothes were missing, as well as her belongings.

The area where the body was found is now under strict restriction for the continued police search for more evidence.

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)

DNA test confirms discovered body to be missing girl

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