Police Initially Suspected Suicide, Now Cite "Undetermined Cause of Death" a Week Later

[Anchor]

Police have stated that the cause of death for a person surnamed Chang, who went dark and was later found dead in Jeju, remains undetermined. Just last week, the head of the police agency mentioned the possibility of suicide during a parliamentary session, but their stance has shifted in mere days.

Reporter Je Hui-won has the details.

[Reporter]

Roughly five hours after the body of Chang was found in a palm tree plantation in Jeju on the morning of August 24, Acting National Police Agency Commissioner General Yoo Jae-sung appeared before the National Assembly and stated that the possibility of homicide was low, commenting as follows:

[Yoo Jae-sung / Acting National Police Agency Commissioner General (August 24): Based on what I was reported by the head of the Jeju Provincial Police Agency, it is presumed to be a death by hanging. (Meaning there are no signs suggesting homicide?) Yes, that is the case so far.]

The explanation was that suicide was highly likely given the absence of significant external trauma, alongside the posture and location of the body.

However, criticisms immediately followed over the police chief making a premature judgment on the cause of death on the very day the body was found, especially given that the corpse was severely decomposed. Controversy surrounding the cause of death persisted as questions were raised over whether it was even feasible to hang oneself given the unique characteristics of a palm tree trunk.

In response, the police even conducted a reenactment experiment at the farm on August 27. Today, however, explanations from police leadership only amplified the controversy.

This is because National Office of Investigation Head Hong Seok-ki stated during a press briefing, based on the National Forensic Service autopsy results, that "the cause of death is unclear due to body decomposition," adding that they are "investigating while keeping all possibilities open."

As media reports poured out questioning whether the police had reversed their stance on the cause of death within a week, the police issued a re-clarification, claiming they merely stated factual parts of the official autopsy results while excluding speculative possibilities, and that it was not a reversal of position.

Critics point out that the police have brought this awkward predicament upon themselves, as the inability to pinpoint the cause of death due to bodily decay has once again brought the police chief's remarks from a week ago under fire.

(Video editing: Park Na-young, Design: Lee Ga-jin)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.