The site where the body of Vice Principal Nam was discovered. It is located about 40 meters from the water's edge. What is it that he wanted? Hanmi Ilbo

The Seokdong-dong pier at Andong Dam was quiet in the late summer sun. Although the surface of the water was calm, the air felt heavy with the realization that this was the very spot that drew nationwide media attention on May 19th.

Fifteen years after he went missing, the body of Nam (born estimated 1957), a vice principal at the Andong Yeongmyeong School, was recovered from a depth of 29 meters. While his head and ankles were missing, the torso remained intact, still dressed in a shirt and trousers. Although the police announced that it was "a suicide by drowning due to depression," local residents still find the explanation highly questionable.

"Natural adipocere formation? Hard to believe"

The police explained that Vice Principal Nam's body had been preserved through "adipocere" (corpse wax) formation, claiming that the lack of oxygen in the mud had delayed decomposition. However, according to forensic textbooks, the conditions for adipocere formation require a "sealed environment, low temperature, and the absence of air." The Andong Dam’s water temperature in summer is around 30°C, and even at a depth of 30 meters, it is 10-15°C—an environment where microorganisms flourish. Experts question how only the torso could have been preserved under such conditions.

While extremely rare, there have been actual cases of bodies found in a state of adipocere formation overseas, such as in reservoirs or sealed tombs in Germany, Italy, and Japan where they remained intact for decades. Therefore, the police’s explanation is not "entirely impossible." However, there is a lack of scientific verification regarding whether the Andong Dam environment meets those requirements. This is why critics point out that "while possible, the burden of proof lies with the police."

From teacher to vice principal, and the sudden disappearance

Nam Jae-seop had been a dedicated educator for students with disabilities since 1977. In 2007, he founded the "Wildflower Scholarship Foundation" to support students in financial need, and he was both an educator and a writer who published essay collections such as The Naked (1999) and A Comma in My Heart (2009).

However, January 26, 2009, marked a turning point. Bae Yeon-chang, the principal of Andong Yeongmyeong School and the foundation’s chairman, passed away suddenly. Although Vice Principal Nam had been a trusted confidant of Principal Bae—even organizing his book launch—he was pushed aside as an "inconvenient presence" amidst conflicts with the bereaved family of the foundation's owner and was transferred to the Dochon branch school.

Staff members recall that "Vice Principal Nam became increasingly isolated" during this period. Yet, in July 2010, he led 29 students from the Dochon branch on a school trip to Japan. Just one month later, during the summer vacation, he allegedly took his own life at Andong Dam, according to the police.

The silence of the bereaved family

While various speculations circulate in the local community regarding the cause of death, the bereaved family has remained tight-lipped. His only direct family member, his daughter, has avoided comment, and the message conveyed through local journalists and the police was simply, "Please leave us alone."

Given that such a long time has passed since the disappearance and death, it appears the remaining family does not wish to be dragged into further controversy. Local reactions are divided between "it is understandable" and "that is precisely why the truth is being buried."

However, the police’s relayed words from the family are the only evidence regarding his alleged depression. If he had made the extreme choice of suicide, there should at least be medical records, counseling logs, or consistent statements from colleagues or acquaintances. The police, however, have avoided providing specific explanations on this matter. Thus, one cannot help but ask what kind of investigation the police conducted and on what grounds they concluded it was "suicide due to depression."

Discrepancy between the site and the records

The reports at the time of the incident stated that "his shoes and tie were neatly placed in the parking lot." However, visiting the site raises more questions. In 2010, the pier was under incomplete construction, and the path from the parking lot to the water’s edge consisted of a 20-30 meter slope and a gravel field. Therefore, it is difficult to view the neatly arranged shoes and tie as a natural sign of a suicide.

Furthermore, the body was found in the mud at a depth of 29 meters, about 40 meters from the shore. Underwater rescue experts state, "It is common for drowning victims to rise to the surface due to buoyancy after a certain period, so the explanation that he sank immediately and became buried in the mud lacks credibility."

The response from the Andong Police Station regarding Hanmi Ilbo's request for information disclosure. It is the editorial judgment of this publication that the legal basis for the non-disclosure decision is a misapplication of the law, contrary to the purpose of the request. Hanmi Ilbo

The police and the wall of the right to know

Although the police have closed the case, their attitude toward the information disclosure request has only fueled further distrust. The requester asked for: ▲ the existence of a closing report, ▲ scientific grounds for the adipocere formation, ▲ the status of the pier construction at the time, and ▲ records of the body's recovery. The police, however, treated all of it as non-disclosable.

The grounds presented by the Andong Police Station included: △ Article 9, Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 1 of the Official Information Disclosure Act (non-disclosure regulation), △ Article 69 of the Rules of Investigation for Prosecutors and Judicial Police Officers (allowing access only for ongoing investigations), and internal National Police Agency guidelines. However, the case was already closed, and what was requested was scientific explanation, not statements from suspects. Applying internal guidelines to an external requester was also difficult to comprehend.

When an objection was filed, the Andong Police Station held an investigation review board. However, the board decided to maintain non-disclosure, stating, "The information requested by the petitioner is judged to be for journalistic purposes driven by suspicions regarding the Andong Dam death case circulating on YouTube and other social media," and that it could not be considered necessary for the public's right to know or the public interest.

The moment I heard the investigation review board’s logic—that a request for information for journalistic purposes is unrelated to the public's right to know—the sound of a dog barking in the distance echoed. The sound, contrasting with the silent dam, seemed to metaphorically illustrate how hollow the voice of public authority sounds when it attempts to bury the truth.

Political shadows in pursuit

The incident has expanded beyond the conflicts of the educational foundation into political distrust. Some YouTube channels and local media have attempted to link the Vice Principal Nam incident to the past of certain politicians. In this process, controversies over changes in birth dates and allegations of criminal records as a minor were also mentioned.

However, these claims lack objective evidence and are difficult to view as confirmed facts. There is a broader consensus in the region that "regardless of political suspicions, the lack of transparency in the police investigation is the real issue." Ultimately, it is more accurate to view this case not as a subject of political conspiracy theories, but as a case where distrust has amplified due to the police’s failure to secure public trust.

A silent dam, and unresolved suspicions

Visiting the Andong Dam again in late August, it was desolate. There were few tourists, and only migratory birds drifted on the surface. Yet, unresolved questions remain sunken within these quiet waters.

Was Vice Principal Nam's body, revealed after 15 years, truly the result of suicide, or is it a truth hidden by someone’s hands? The police's explanation has only raised more questions rather than putting the suspicions to rest.

The Andong Dam flows today as always, but the suspicions surrounding Vice Principal Nam's death remain hardened, "like a mummy."

[Andong = Reporters Kim Young / Lee Hyo-ju]

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