Incheon 'Mutilated Body' Investigation: Fifth Day with No Progress in Identifying Victim

Police Tracing Routes of Recycling Transport Vehicles
Wide Collection Area Poses Challenges... Forensic Analysis to Take 2–3 Weeks

Part of a corpse was discovered at a public recycling facility in Incheon, prompting the police to launch an investigation that has now entered its fifth day. However, authorities are still struggling to identify the victim.

According to the Incheon Yeonsu Police Station on the 14th, a task force of approximately 60 investigators is currently in operation, but the identity of the deceased remains unconfirmed.

On the afternoon of the 11th, a silence settled over the Southern Metropolitan Living Resource Center in Songdo-dong, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon. On the afternoon of the 10th, part of a corpse's left leg was discovered at the Living Resource Center. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Previously, at 2:28 p.m. on the 10th, an employee at the Southern Metropolitan Resource Collection Center in Songdo-dong, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, discovered part of a left leg during the pre-sorting process for recyclables. At the time of discovery, the remains were largely wrapped in bandages. The physical measurements released by the police were a foot length of 210 mm and a length of 41 cm from just below the knee to the heel.

The police explained that these measurements were taken on the day the remains were found, and that drying after amputation could have caused differences from the measurements during the victim’s lifetime. Detailed information, including the gender of the deceased, is currently being analyzed by the National Forensic Service. The results of the forensic analysis are expected to take about two to three weeks.

Basing their investigation on the physical dimensions, the police believe the victim could be a young student or a woman. They checked all elementary, middle, high, and special schools in Incheon for any unapproved or long-term absentees but found nothing unusual. The DNA recovered from the remains was also compared to existing DNA records of reported missing persons, but there were no matches.

Since the mutilated body was mixed with recyclables and brought to the center, the police are tracing the collection routes of the transport vehicles. The center begins receiving recyclables at 4 a.m., and from 9 a.m. sorts them into categories such as glass bottles, cans, and plastics, processing all materials on the same day. On the day the remains were discovered, a total of about 35 tons of recyclables were delivered to the center in 34 separate trips. By collection area, there were 20 trips from Yeonsu-gu and 14 from Jung-gu (including Yeongjongdo).

The police have secured dashcam and driving records from vehicles belonging to eight transport companies and are examining each collection area individually. However, because the target area is so extensive, it is expected to take considerable time to determine the exact location and time the body was abandoned. Additionally, because the method of disposing of recyclables varies by neighborhood—such as door-to-door or collection point systems—it is anticipated that identifying the person who dumped the remains will be challenging.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.