"Find me," unknown number message received two weeks after disappearance
Professor Lee Sujeong: "They may not be dead"
On the 6th, the possibility that the middle school girls who went missing in Daegu in 2001 were trafficked into prostitution establishments was raised online.
On the 3rd, the SBS current affairs program ''Unanswered Questions'' revisited the 'Daegu Middle School Girls Missing Case.' The 'Daegu Middle School Girls Missing Case' involves the disappearance of 15-year-old middle school students, Kim Gain and Min Kyung-mi, from the Bukbu Bus Terminal in Seo-gu, Daegu, on December 8, 2001.
Kim Ki-min (left photo) and Min Kyung-mi, middle school girls from Daegu who went missing in 2001. [Photo by SBS "Unanswered Questions"]
According to the broadcast, Kim and Min spent time at an arcade, a snack bar, and a PC room in Paldal Market, Daegu, on December 7, the day before the incident, and took a taxi around midnight. At that time, A, who was Min's boyfriend, thought Min had safely returned home after she called from a number starting with the area code 053, but later confirmed she had not come back.
The two got off the taxi at the Bukbu Bus Terminal, and then Kim's cellphone was turned off. Although there were no late-night buses operating at the terminal, the police regarded Min and Kim as runaways since they were minors and did not conduct an active investigation.
Family and friends said, "They would not run away." The email sent to family before their disappearance did not hint at running away, and Kim had also promised a friend to go to a day cafe for a graduation party.
About two weeks after the disappearance, Kim's mother received a mysterious phone call. Kim's mother said, "A call came from an unknown number, and the voice said, 'Mom, please save me! I'm in Busan,' then the call was cut off." Three months after the disappearance, in March of the following year, Min's friend received a message via messenger saying, "Friend, I'm scared. Please come find me." A also said, "A man contacted me claiming to be Kyung-mi's new boyfriend."
Experts pointed out that these circumstances are similar to cases of victims of prostitution. Lee Yun-seo, director of the Busan Women's Human Rights Support Center 'Sallim,' explained, "Three out of ten women who were victims of prostitution started working in prostitution districts when they were young," adding, "An older brother I knew came with a car, and while hanging out, he took me to an unknown place, which turned out to be a prostitution district."
In fact, a friend who met the two the day before their disappearance testified, "They said they were going to the city with an older brother who had a car." Another friend also witnessed the car.
Professor Lee Soo-jung of the Department of Criminal Psychology at Kyonggi University and criminal psychology analyst Pyo Chang-won believe there is a high possibility that the two are still alive. Professor Lee stated, "The purpose of this case was not to kill," and argued, "It seems to be a case caused by economic reasons."
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