Missing Man Reunited with Family After 36 Years

A man who went missing in the third grade has been dramatically reunited with his family after 36 years, thanks to a thorough police investigation. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Special Investigation Unit announced on May 25 that they located 45-year-old 최모 (Choi Mo) and facilitated a meeting with his family last month.

In 1988, following the death of her husband, Choi's mother sent him to live with his aunt in Gangdong-gu, Seoul, due to financial difficulties. However, in May 1989, Choi suddenly disappeared while living at his aunt's home. Although his aunt reported him missing to the police, it was assumed that he had returned to his mother's house. At that time, mobile phones were not widely available, and the relationship between Choi's mother and aunt was reportedly strained, complicating communication.

Despite the challenges, Choi's aunt continued to search for her missing nephew. In 2022, she finally reestablished contact with Choi's mother, only to discover that he was still unaccounted for. This prompted the family to file another missing person report with the police.

The case was transferred to the Special Investigation Unit for long-term missing persons in February of last year, leading to a comprehensive re-investigation. The police began by reviewing Choi's elementary school records and exploring the possibility that he might be an unaccompanied minor. They visited 52 welfare facilities in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, collecting DNA samples from 309 unaccompanied minors for comparison.

Through searches based on Choi's birth year, disappearance location, and his father's death, the police narrowed down the list to 39 potential matches. Ultimately, forensic DNA analysis confirmed Choi's identity. It was revealed that he had been placed in a youth protection facility in Busan after his disappearance, and his aunt confirmed that a photo from his child card matched his current appearance. Choi had moved to the facility in Busan to complete his middle school education after going missing in Gangdong-gu, Seoul.

A police official stated, "We concluded our investigation after facilitating the reunion with his family last month."