Questions mount over Jang Mi-ran's death at palm tree farm; boyfriend says she feared the spot, locals say hanging 'nearly impossible' there

Questions are growing over the circumstances of Jang Mi-ran's death after her body was found at a palm tree farm in Jeju — 104 days after she went missing.

According to the Jeju Provincial Police Agency on Tuesday, an autopsy confirmed that the body discovered at a palm tree farm in Hallim-eup, Jeju, was that of missing person Jang Mi-ran.

The autopsy, conducted between 8:30 and 9 a.m. that day, identified the remains through dental analysis. "Fingerprints had already degraded, but a forensic odontologist gave a verbal opinion that the dental records matched the missing person," police said, adding that DNA samples had also been collected for urgent analysis.

The autopsy found no unusual fractures, external trauma or other signs suggesting foul play. The body had already decomposed to the point where fingerprints were no longer recoverable.

Based on the position and location of the body when it was found, police believe Jang died by hanging.

Acting Korean National Police Agency Commissioner Yoo Jae-seong told a plenary session of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee that there were "no signs yet to suggest Jang was killed by another person," while noting that the Jeju police chief had reported the death was believed to be a hanging.

No clear evidence of homicide has emerged so far, but experts caution that the cause of death should not be determined solely from the condition of the body, given the advanced state of decomposition.

Pyo Chang-won, director of the Institute of Criminal Science, said that unless footage capturing the full scene had been secured or multiple witnesses had directly observed the situation, the body must be treated as an unexplained death. "The cause of death should not be concluded based on appearances alone," he said.

The location where Jang's body was found has also deepened the mystery. The body was discovered in a palm tree grove roughly 400 meters from the long-stay accommodation she had left around 10:15 p.m. on May 12 — less than a 10-minute walk away, but a secluded spot with no streetlights or CCTV cameras.

Jang's boyfriend told TV Chosun he could not make sense of the discovery. "She said she found that place frightening whenever she passed by, so I can't understand why she was found there," he said.

A Jeju local also raised questions about the physical characteristics of the farm on an online community forum.

The person said the farm was densely planted with Canary Island date palms, which are covered in sharp, hard spines. "Even for a man, it would be nearly impossible to hang a rope from one of those trees — they don't have branches like ordinary trees, and you'd get stabbed just getting close," the person wrote.

Police currently assess the likelihood of foul play as low but say they are keeping all possibilities open as they investigate the exact cause and circumstances of the death.

"Based on the position and location of the body, we believe the possibility of homicide is low," a police official said. "However, we will continue to investigate the possibility that she was the victim of a crime."

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide or self-harm, contact the Ministry of Health and Welfare's helpline at 1393, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Please request a translator for English-language services.