An elderly man in his 80s suffering from dementia has been found dead five days after being reported missing.

According to the Ganghwa Police Station in Incheon yesterday (July 22), a report was filed on the morning of July 19 by a care worker stating that an 80-year-old man, identified as Mr. A, who lives alone in Ganghwa-eup, Ganghwa-gun, appeared to be missing.

The care worker reportedly visited Mr. A's home on July 18 but left without meeting him, and returned the next day to find no trace of Mr. A having entered the house, prompting her to notify the police.

Police analyzed closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage and spotted Mr. A leaving home alone on a bicycle on July 17 to track his whereabouts. However, they faced difficulties in the search due to Mr. A's wide movement range and heavy rainfall.

After issuing a missing person alert and deploying search dogs, police found Mr. A dead on the afternoon of the same day—five days after his disappearance—in a forest near Insan Reservoir, about 9 to 10 kilometers away from Ganghwa-eup.

No suspicious circumstances, such as signs of foul play, have been found.

Police plan to investigate the exact cause of death and the specific details of the incident.

(Photo: Yonhap News)