Missing boy found after 35 years in South Korea, bringing a shocking and emotional end to a decades-old mystery. The man, now 45 and surnamed Choi, disappeared in May 1989 when he was just ten years old. At the time, he lived with his aunt in Gangdong-gu, Seoul, after his father’s death and his mother’s illness. His aunt reported him missing immediately, but no trace of him emerged for years. The case remained cold despite repeated efforts.
In 2022, Choi’s aunt reunited with his mother and reopened the case by filing another missing person report. This new step renewed police efforts, starting with Choi’s elementary school records. Authorities expanded their investigation using government databases, telecom accounts, and health insurance profiles. They matched names and ages while narrowing down people fitting Choi’s background. The search for the missing boy found after 35 years became more urgent and systematic.
Police soon turned to DNA testing for people with no known families, such as shelter residents or those in state care. They checked 309 profiles and narrowed them down to 39 potential matches. One person in Busan’s juvenile center caught attention despite unmatched birth details. His old childhood photo resembled Choi, and his aunt confirmed the likeness. In 1995, he had created a new name and fake birthdate to re-register under a false identity.
Authorities ran his DNA against Choi’s mother’s sample through the National Forensic Service. The results confirmed their biological connection, ending years of painful uncertainty. Though the man had no idea of his original identity, the evidence proved conclusive. Police arranged a family reunion in April after verifying every detail. The headline—missing boy found after 35 years—finally became a reality for Choi and his loved ones.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced the reunion and case closure last weekend. Officers credited persistence, data access, and DNA science for resolving the mystery. The family now has answers, though decades were lost to silence and separation. Still, the ending brought relief few had expected. Missing boy found after 35 years remains a rare moment of closure in such long-lost cases.
