Korean J Leg Med.  2019 May;43(2):64-70. 10.7580/kjlm.2019.43.2.64.

Statistical Analysis of Postmortem Inspection Cases of the National Forensic Service Seoul Institute in 2017

• Lee YM
• Choi M
• Won YJ
• Park JP
• Choi CH
• Seo I
• Kim DH
• Choi SG
• Kang B
• Aum N
• Kim DY
• Kim SH
• Kim YH
• Park JW
• Yang KM
• Choi YS

• KMID: 2448941
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7580/kjlm.2019.43.2.64

Abstract

This study provides a statistical analysis of 1,226 cases of death occurring in Area 8, Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (Gangseo, Yangcheon, and Guro Police Stations) from January 1 to December 31, 2017. There were 427 postmortem inspection cases in Gangseo, 393 in Yangcheon, 377 in Guro, and 29 in other areas. The number of autopsy cases was 69 in Gangseo, 70 in Yangcheon, 86 in Guro, and seven in other areas. According to the postmortem inspection reports, there were 593 cases of natural death and 336 cases of unnatural death, while in 297 cases the cause of death was unknown. Of the 297 unknown cases, autopsy rates from each police station were as follows: 54 of 99 cases (54.5%) in Gangseo, 60 of 101 cases (59.4%) in Yangcheon, 67 of 93 cases (72.0%) in Guro, and in all four cases (100%) from other areas. Unnatural deaths included 215 cases of suicide, nine cases of homicide, and 64 accidental death, while 48 cases were undetermined. Among the unnatural deaths, the cause of death included 138 cases of hanging, 72 cases of falls from a height, and 32 cases of poisoning. Since this statistical study is based on actual postmortem inspection data for 1,226 cases of death in the eight areas of Seoul (excluding deaths from traffic accidents), it raises issues relating to the current postmortem inspection system, and can be used as reference material for a comprehensive overview of causes of death.

Keyword

Postmortem inspection; Autopsy rate; Cause of death; Manner of death

MeSH Terms

Accidental Falls
Autopsy
Cause of Death
Homicide
Humans
Poisoning
Police
Seoul*
Statistics as Topic
Suicide

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