[Anchor]
The location where the late Chang Mi-ran was found is inside a palm tree farm. Residents familiar with the area and the characteristics of the palm trees are raising various questions. Experts also say the possibility of homicide cannot be completely ruled out.
Reporter Cho Min-ki investigated the scene.
[Reporter]
The palm tree farm in Hallim-eup, Jeju City, where Chang Mi-ran's body was discovered.
Canary Island palm trees stand densely, blocking sunlight from entering the farm.
The lower trunks are lower in height compared to other varieties, making it difficult to go in and out without bending over.
This is another palm tree farm near the scene of the incident, densely packed with Canary Island palm trees 3 to 6 meters high.
The branches extending tightly through narrow gaps easily break, and their ends are sharp.
Nearby residents say they cannot believe a missing person was found in such a place.
[Im Se-ho / Hallim-eup, Jeju City: Who would have known? We were shocked. Not many people walk around here. Only a few cars pass by occasionally.]
[Yang Chun-hwa / Hallim-eup, Jeju City: We didn't smell anything, didn't see anyone passing by, and had no idea at all.]
Nearby residents who know the characteristics of Canary Island palm trees question the police's conclusion that Chang was likely to have taken her own life.
[Yang Chun-hwa / Hallim-eup, Jeju City: Could she have climbed it when the thorns hurt so much? They are sharp and pierce the skin.]
Online communities also echoed opinions that it is nearly impossible to hang a rope on the branches of a Canary Island palm tree.
[Im Se-ho / Hallim-eup, Jeju City: You can't hang yourself there. The branches break; it makes no sense. You'll understand if you go in and touch the branches.]
Experts repeatedly emphasize that the possibility of homicide should not be ruled out.
[Bae Sang-hoon / Profiler (YTN Radio 'Chang Sung-chul's News Myeongdang'): People rarely go into a place they don't know very well to commit so-called suicide. I lean somewhat toward the latter (the possibility of homicide) at 49.99 to 51.111.]
[Lee Soo-jung / Professor of Forensic Psychology at Kyonggi University: Hanging oneself by the neck with a rope on the jagged protrusions of the palm tree trunk is unnatural, and there is currently no rational explanation whatsoever for such a situation.]
As the heavily decayed body was found 104 days after the missing persons report was prematurely closed, it is expected to take more time to determine the exact cause of death.
(Video by Lee Sang-hak | Video Editing by Park Ji-in)
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