Police Stop Investigating the Death of a South Korean in Balikpapan

TheIndonesia.id - The East Kalimantan Police have stopped investigating the death of IS (49), a South Korean, who lived on the 23rd floor of an apartment behind Balikpapan Plaza, at the request of the deceased's family.

"Therefore, the case is considered closed," said the Head of Public Relations of the East Kalimantan Police, Police Grand Commissioner Yusuf Suteja, Sunday, June 5, 2022.

The victim's sister as a family representative, accompanied by staff from the South Korean Embassy, came to see the body that was stored in the Bhayangkara Hospital morgue on Jalan Jenderal Sudirman, Balikpapan. The IS family then stated that there was no need for a post-mortem or autopsy, but that they should be cremated (burned) immediately. From the cremation, the ashes of the deceased will be brought home.

According to the Police's Head of Public Relations, the message from the sheet inscribed with Korean characters in the victim's room was an apology and several things regarding the victim's belongings. The relics at that time were also taken care of by the family.

IS was found dead in the apartment yard on Thursday morning (June 1, 2022). The police found a sheet of paper containing an apology in the victim's apartment room.

IS is a project manager for the Refinery Development Master Plan Joint Operation (RDMP JO) or the Pertamina Balikpapan oil refinery capacity building project. "The person in question is the technical manager at RDMP JO," said RDMP PR officer Prisca Christina in a separate statement.

Before the case was finally closed, according to Suteja, several people had been questioned by the police. "We don't want to speculate. Suicide was only a temporary assumption," said Suteja.

In the past 6 months, at least two South Koreans have been involved in cases in Balikpapan. Before this, a Korean surnamed Park, who also worked on the RDMP Project beat a female employee named Yunita. The case was then resolved peacefully and witnessed by the police at the Balikpapan Police Station. However, Park was dismissed from PT Daeh, the company he worked for, which was a contractor on the RDMP project.