[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-ju] A story about the shocking Odaeyang mass death incident was introduced.
On the 26th, SBS's educational program "The Day Stories That Follow One Another" covered the reality of the Odaeyang mass death incident, where 32 bodies were found at the Odaeyang craft factory.
On that day, Jang Sung-kyu, Jang Do-yeon, and Jang Hang-jun relayed a story witnessed by a reporter at the Daejeon Western Police Station. At the time, 13 young colleagues in their 20s and 30s witnessed a middle-aged couple being locked in a warehouse and subjected to a 12-hour group assault.
In the past, after the eldest daughter of the middle-aged couple joined the company, all seven siblings were employed there, and the whole family worked at the company. The middle-aged couple invested money in the company?an enormous amount of 500 million won in 1987.
The company was a promising metal craft manufacturer with its headquarters and factory in Daejeon and another factory in Yongin. The company president was Park Soon-ja, a self-made female entrepreneur, and her husband was a high-ranking official at Dochang.
President Park Soon-ja generously invested in employee welfare, supporting education for employees' children from elementary school to university. She also built a top-class childcare facility for children without parents.
Park Soon-ja was almost treated like a hero and gained the trust of the local community.
Later, when the middle-aged couple needed money, they wanted to get their investment back, but their eldest daughter did not allow it.
The eldest daughter called her parents to the company, saying, "Try talking directly with the president," and the middle-aged couple was then confined and assaulted at the company. The eldest daughter and her husband watched the assault.
The couple barely escaped after signing a waiver agreeing not to reclaim the 500 million won.
Afterward, the couple reported the incident to the police, and Park Soon-ja was summoned as a witness.
While under police investigation, Park Soon-ja suddenly collapsed and was hospitalized. However, she disappeared along with her three children from the hospital.
Afterward, people began flocking to Park Soon-ja's factory, and within two days, 100 creditors gathered.
A staggering 8 billion won was lost, which would be about 26 billion won at current market value.
However, it was revealed that more than 80 people disappeared simultaneously. Those missing included President Park Soon-ja, her children, employees, and children from the childcare facility they operated.
The police judged it as a large-scale fraud case and began an investigation.
Five days after the disappearance, they were found dead in the ceiling of the company factory.
The 32 bodies found were stacked in two places; most were in their underwear, with hands and feet bound, and clear signs of strangulation on their necks.
However, there were no signs of resistance. The autopsy revealed no drugs were detected.
The police launched an investigation to determine who killed them, how, and why not a single person resisted.
A few days after the incident, a crucial clue was found at the scene, a white paper note torn into sixty-seven pieces.
After hours of work, the restored note's content was shocking.
The note read, "Absolutely keep silent / Already unconscious / About five people were killed four hours ago / Most will be gone by today / This was planned from the start."
Especially, the phrase "Only you bite this / Only you endure under the guidance of the Holy Spirit" raised police suspicion.
The police confirmed after investigation that the kitchen lady was the last survivor.
Park Soon-ja, who claimed to have been cured through prayer after several battles with cancer, was a cult leader who believed she was chosen, and all employees were followers.
This incident became famous as the "Odaeyang Mass Suicide Incident," named after the craft company.
Even more shocking were the testimonies of the surviving employees, who said, "We feel ashamed for not being among the 32. We were disappointed for not receiving the 'deulim' (spiritual possession)."
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