42 Elementary School Entrants Missing in Incheon... Investigation Requested

This year, the whereabouts of 42 children scheduled to enter elementary school in Incheon have not been identified, prompting the education authorities to request a police investigation.

As of the 12th, the Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education announced that out of 22,232 new public elementary school students for the 2024 academic year, the whereabouts of 22,144 students (99.6%) have been confirmed.

Since the preliminary gathering on the 4th, the Office of Education has been investigating basic information such as whether 88 children with unclear whereabouts have left the country by contacting their guardians by phone and visiting their homes.

Among them, for 42 children whose whereabouts remain unknown or who cannot be reached despite confirming all basic information, a police investigation has been requested. Last year, investigations were requested for 43 children, all of whom were confirmed to have overseas entry and exit records, and no criminal suspicion was found.

An official from the Office of Education stated, "Since verification is ongoing at each school, the number of children subject to investigation requests may increase. We believe many cases involve immigration or short-term stays abroad, and we are cooperating with local governments to check entry and exit records."

Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education building exterior

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