Cross-border effort finds missing child in Vietnam

A South Korean consular official dispatched from the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Ho Chi Minh City poses with local children during a visit to confirm the safety of a South Korean school-age child living in Vietnam. (The Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency)

South Korean police, in coordination with diplomatic and local authorities, have located a school-age child whose whereabouts had been unknown after he failed to enroll at the start of the school year, finding him living safely in Vietnam.

The Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency said Wednesday that the child had been found last month living with his mother, who is from Vietnam, and attending a local elementary school.

The case began in March last year when an elementary school in South Gyeongsang Province reported the child’s failure to enroll, prompting a police investigation.

Authorities were unable to confirm his location or safety for an extended period.

Police later determined that the child had likely traveled to Vietnam, his mother’s home country, and shared that information with the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Ho Chi Minh City.

A consular official then traveled about eight hours by car from Ho Chi Minh City to the area where the child was believed to be staying.

Working with local police and immigration officials, the official confirmed the child’s residence through neighborhood inquiries and an on-site visit.

Authorities found that the child was living safely with his mother and attending school in the area, police said.

With the case resolved, the Gyeongnam police said they have now confirmed the whereabouts and safety of all 20 children whose enrollment status or prolonged absences were reported by schools in the province last year.

Korea introduced mandatory checks on the safety of children who fail to enroll or have prolonged unexplained absences in 2016, following a series of child abuse cases.

The scope of the checks was expanded the following year to include children who miss preliminary enrollment procedures.

Police said they are continuing joint inspections this year with local governments, education offices and child protection agencies.

Gyeongnam police chief Kim Jong-cheol said the case was significant because it confirmed the safety of a child staying overseas through cooperation with diplomatic missions, adding that authorities plan to expand international coordination with countries including China and Vietnam.

This story has been translated from Korean-language sources using AI and edited by the Korea Herald. Reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but as with all automated translations, some errors may occur. — Ed.