A Miraculous Family Reunion After 54 Years

A woman who went missing at the age of 8 while on her way to her aunt's house has become a mother of two daughters and, after 54 years, had an emotional reunion with her biological mother.

On the 29th, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Special Investigation Unit announced that, following a re-reporting of her missing status by her biological mother, they conducted a thorough investigation using child welfare center records and DNA testing to locate A (62) and facilitate the family reunion.

A went missing around August 1971 while taking a bus from her home in Shinkil-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, to her aunt's house located in Yangpyeong-dong, also in Yeongdeungpo-gu.

At the time, her biological mother reported her missing at the Yeongdeungpo Police Station in September of the same year but could not find A. A had previously made several trips alone to her aunt’s house by bus, so her biological mother felt assured to let her go. However, a month later, she learned from a visit by her aunt that A was missing.

On July 20, 2023, her biological mother, with a desperate wish to see her daughter’s face at least once before she passed away, re-reported A's missing status to the Yangcheon Police Station in Seoul.

Subsequently, on January 17, 2025, the Special Investigation Unit dedicated to long-term missing persons took over the case and launched a comprehensive reinvestigation.

The police meticulously analyzed data regarding 133 women of similar ages who were admitted to the Seoul Child Welfare Center around the time of A's disappearance, based on records held there.

As a result, the records showed that a man had handed A, who was crying at a bus terminal, over to a child protection center, and she was subsequently transferred to Seongnam Orphanage.

In a meeting with the police on May 21, A explained, "I was taking the bus to my aunt's house, but when I reached a place I usually got off, it wasn't there, so I ended up at the terminal and got lost. I couldn't remember my parents' names or my home address, and while I was crying, a man took me to a shelter."

During the investigation, it was recorded that the missing child was born in 1963, but A was born in 1964, and her name and family name were different, necessitating precise identification.

The police requested DNA testing from the National Forensic Service through the Child Rights Protection Agency, and on the 21st, the results confirmed that A and her biological mother were indeed related.

Finally, on the 25th, A had a touching reunion with her biological mother after 54 years. A expressed her feelings, stating, "There were moments when I wanted to give up, but my daughters encouraged and helped me, saying, 'Don't give up and let's find our family until the end,' so I never lost hope."

Her biological mother also shared, "Before I die, I was always anxious, hoping to know whether my daughter was alive or dead. I am so grateful to the police for finding my daughter."

Image source: Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, data photos to aid the understanding of the article / gettyimagesbank