"Someone Dumped Coarse Salt on Ancestors' Graves"... Police Investigate in Okcheon

"Highly Likely to Be a Ritualistic Act"

Earlier this month in Okcheon, Chungbuk, someone dumped a large amount of salt on 11 graves and fled the scene. The police launched an investigation after receiving a report, but the identity of the perpetrator remains unknown.

Salt has been sprinkled on a grave located on a mountain in Okcheon, Chungbuk. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

According to the Okcheon Police Station on the 30th, a petition stating, "Coarse salt has been dumped on my ancestors' graves," was filed on the 20th.

An investigation revealed that, in addition to the petitioner’s grave, a total of 11 graves in the area suffered the same damage. Each grave belonged to a different owner. Of these, five graves with known relatives had the salt quickly removed, but for the remaining six, the salt remains as no one has dared to touch them.

The police checked nearby closed-circuit (CC) TV footage and captured images of two men unloading bags of salt from a van during the day on the 10th. The police have identified these two men as suspects and are tracking their whereabouts. The van was a rental vehicle.

A police official stated, "It appears highly likely that this was an act with a ritualistic motive," adding, "Once we secure the two individuals, we will focus on uncovering the motive behind the crime."