Skeletal remains of a man in his 70s were discovered Thursday in a defunct motel in Ora-dong, Jeju City, police said Friday.

The deceased, believed to be a former welfare recipient, had reportedly been living in the facility before its closure in 2019. Welfare officials had placed him on a watch list after losing contact in August 2020. An official conducting a premises check located the remains in a room of the abandoned building and alerted local authorities around 9:36 am Thursday.

Investigators at Jeju Dongu Police suspect the man may have died in August 2019, based on personal items and medical records found at the scene. Authorities plan to conduct an autopsy and use DNA forensics to confirm his identity.

In April, skeletal remains of another man in his 70s were found in another closed-down motel in Jeju City.