A South Korean woman who had been missing for 104 days has been found dead in a palm plantation on Jeju Island, with her remains reportedly already severely decomposed and reduced to bones.
The 37-year-old woman, identified as Zhang Meilan, was discovered at around 10.46am in a palm plantation in Hallim-eup, Jeju City. Police said the location was close to the accommodation where she was last captured on CCTV on 12 May.
Her remains were found roughly 1 kilometre from the accommodation, with the straight-line distance reportedly only about 400 metres. Investigators believe the journey would have taken around 10 minutes on foot.
The discovery has raised questions over what happened during the 104 days since she disappeared, particularly as her body was found in a densely wooded area and had undergone extensive decomposition.
Police Investigate Possible Cause Of Death
South Korean police have reportedly found no obvious signs of homicide at the scene so far. Based on the position of the remains and the surrounding circumstances, investigators are currently considering the possibility that Zhang died after hanging.
However, police have stressed that the investigation remains ongoing and that the possibility of criminal involvement has not been completely ruled out.
Her live-in boyfriend has questioned the preliminary assessment, telling Korean media that Zhang had not experienced any difficulties that would have led him to believe she intended to end her life.
He reportedly said that she had no apparent reason to take such an action and urged investigators to establish exactly what happened to her before reaching a final conclusion.
The circumstances surrounding her disappearance have also come under renewed scrutiny following the discovery of her remains.
GPS Tracking Could Become Key To Investigation
One of the most significant details emerging from the case concerns Zhang’s mobile phone. Investigators reportedly had access to GPS tracking information for approximately 14 hours after she disappeared, before the device was switched off.
However, police did not conduct a GPS location search during that period, according to the report.
Instead, investigators later relied on mobile phone base-station information, leading them to focus their search around Hallim Port and nearby coastal areas.
Her eventual discovery at a palm plantation has therefore prompted questions about whether earlier location data could have helped authorities locate her sooner.
Police are continuing to examine the scene, available surveillance footage and other evidence to establish how Zhang travelled to the area and what happened before her death.
Until forensic and investigative findings are completed, the cause and manner of death remain subject to further investigation. The case continues to attract attention because of the 104-day disappearance, the condition in which her remains were discovered and questions raised by her boyfriend about the preliminary police assessment.