A South Korean man in his 40s who had been admitted to an alcohol addiction treatment center in Gyeonggi Province was found dead in a nearby warehouse with a stab wound to his neck, police said Thursday.

According to Uiwang Police Station, the victim's body was found at around 4:20 p.m. on Wednesday at an empty warehouse in Gocheon-dong, Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province. The victim had sustained a fatal stab wound to the neck, which the police believe to have been self-inflicted.

The man had been missing since Jan. 14, when he left the treatment center saying he was going for a short walk. Security camera footage of the area showed him walking into the warehouse with two bottles of soju and an item the man appears to have stabbed himself with, which he had bought from a nearby convenience store.

A provisional investigation by the police has concluded that the chances of homicide are slim, particularly considering that there were several hesitation wounds found on the victim's body, a type of injury seen in most self-inflicted wounds.

Police plan to ask the National Forensic Service to conduct an autopsy to confirm the cause of death.

--

If you’re thinking about self-harm or suicide, contact the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s helpline at 109, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please request a translator for English-language services.