Search authorities are entering a second night of operations to find an 11-year-old boy, identified only as A, who went missing in Juwangsan National Park in Cheongsong County, North Gyeongsang Province.
According to police and fire authorities Tuesday, equipment and personnel will be deployed to Juwangsan National Park for overnight search operations after sunset. Taking weather conditions into account, authorities plan to conduct the search with 80 personnel, including 40 police officers, 28 firefighters, and 12 staff from the Korea National Park Service. Five drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras will continue operations.
The search team plans to focus on the hiking trail stretching from Giam Bridge, where the boy's parents last saw him, to Jubong Peak (720.6 meters above sea level). Giam Bridge and Jubong Peak are about 2.3 kilometers apart.
However, expected rainfall in the area remains a variable. Police plan to operate drones until the rain begins. Rain accompanied by thunder and lightning is forecast for the Cheongsong area starting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, with rainfall expected to continue until 6 p.m. Wednesday. Cumulative rainfall over the 24-hour period is projected at 20 millimeters.
Authorities also deployed one helicopter, two drones, and about 90 personnel to search for the boy during daytime hours. After reviewing nearby CCTV footage, police said there are no indications his disappearance is linked to a crime.
The boy, who lives in Daegu, had visited a temple inside Juwangsan National Park with his parents the previous day. But around noon that day, he disappeared at Giam Bridge after saying he would "go up the mountain a little." When he failed to return, his parents reported his disappearance to fire authorities at around 5:53 p.m. the same day.
At the time of his disappearance, the boy was wearing a Samsung Lions baseball uniform and cap. He is approximately 145 centimeters tall with a slim build. He was reportedly not carrying a mobile phone.
