E259: The Frog Boys

On March 26, 1991, a public holiday in South Korea, five boys from Daegu—aged 9 to 13—went missing while searching for salamander eggs near Mount Waryong. After missing their taekwondo lesson, their parents initially searched for them, but eventually reported them missing. Unfortunately, police initially dismissed the boys as runaways. Media attention about the lost boys grew, dubbing them the "Frog Boys," and despite a massive search ordered by the president, no trace was found. Hoax calls and inadequate police efforts frustrated the parents. Eventually the boy's fathers even quit their jobs to search nationwide, eventually suspecting a Korean military cover-up as they were followed by intelligence agents.

In 2002, the skeletal remains of all five boys were found on Mount Waryong, showing bullet casings, blunt force injuries, and possible bullet holes, suggesting foul play. Police mishandled the scene and claimed hypothermia, a theory experts rejected. The nearby military base, linked to the casings, was never searched, fueling more theories of military involvement. No arrests have been made, and various lawsuits against the police have failed. In 2015, the statute of limitations was lifted, leaving the case open for new evidence. The parents,who buried their sons' ashes together, are still seeking justice. What happened to the Daegu Frog Boys?

Sources:

Paulo, D. A. (2020, December 22). Intrigue, scandal, heartbreak: The case of South Korea’s missing ‘frog boys.’ CNA. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/cnainsider/intrigue-scandal-heartbreak-case-south-korea-missing-frog-boys-774406

Banks, A. (2019, January 11). The Frog Boys of South Korea — criminally intrigued. Criminally Intrigued. https://www.criminallyintrigued.com/blog/2019/1/6/the-curious-case-of-the-frog-boys

KSIS : What happened to the Frog Boys? (2024, November 13). KSTATION TV. https://kstationtv.com/2024/11/13/ksis-what-happened-to-the-frog-boys/?lang=en