Korean found dead at lot

Korean national jump off at the 37th floor of the building.(CDN PHOTO/BENJIE B. TALISIC)

The remains of a Korean who supposedly jumped off the window of a condominium in Cebu City were found in a vacant lot near the structure at 2:30 a.m. yesterday.

A witness identified as Edgar Gonzales, who lived near the vacant lot, said he heard a loud thud coming from the building at Sitio Theresita, Barangay Cogon Ramos at past 2 a.m.

Gonzales went to look at the source of the sound only to see the remains of the Korean identified later by police as Oh Yong Yaek, said to be a native of Busan City, South Korea.

Gonzales said he reported the discovery to the guards on duty.

He said he went to the vacant lot at 6 a.m. and was surprised to see the Korean’s remains still there.

Gonzales reported the incident to the police and a police team went to the area to investigate only to be barred by the security guards who insisted that nothing happened.

The police team went back to the precinct only to receive a call from the condominium’s management saying they want them to investigate the case.

SPO1 Winston Ybañez, who headed the team, said he was told by the building administrator that he entered the Korean’s room after learning of the incident.

Oh Yong Yaek arrived in Cebu last May 9 and checked into the condominium at 4 p.m. last May 13.

One of the condominium staffers said the Korean left his room at 8:50 p.m., only to return an hour later last Saturday evening.

Oh Yong Yaek then went back at past 1 a.m. yesterday more than an hour before he made his jump, Ybañez said.

Joseph Shin, chief officer of the Korean Consular Office in Cebu, went to the condominium and talked with the police about the incident.

He later told reporters that his office will take care of the burial arrangements and contact Oh Yong Yaek’s family in South Korea.