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Park, Na, Lee, Yang, and Choi: A Statistical Analysis on Forensic Autopsies Performed in Korea in 2017
Original Article

Korean Journal of Legal Medicine 2018; 42(4): 111-125.

Published online: 30 November 2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.7580/kjlm.2018.42.4.111

A Statistical Analysis on Forensic Autopsies Performed in Korea in 2017

Ji Hye Park1, Joo-Young Na2, 3, Bong Woo Lee4, Kyung-moo Yang5, Young Shik Choi6

1Forensic Medicine Division, National Forensic Service Gwangju Institute, Jangseong, Korea.

2Biomedical Research Institute, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju, Korea.

3Emergency Medical Center, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju, Korea.

4National Forensic Service Seoul Institute, Seoul, Korea.

5Medical Examiner's Office, National Forensic Service, Wonju, Korea.

6National Forensic Service, Wonju, Korea.

Correspondence to Joo-Young Na. Biomedical Research Institute, Chonnam National University Hospital, 42 Jebong-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju 61469, Korea. Tel: +82-62-220-5716, Fax: +82-62-225-9402, pdrdream@gmail.com

Received 5 November 2018       Revised 16 November 2018       Accepted 17 November 2018

© Copyright 2018 by the Korean Society for Legal Medicine

The Korean Society for Legal Medicine

(open-access):

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Statistical analysis was performed on national forensic autopsy data collected in the Republic of Korea, with the exception of Ulsan, during 2017. A total of 8,777 cases were categorized based on the region; information was provided by the Police Agency and the Coast Guard regarding sex, age, manner of death, and cause of death. Analysis of the manner of death revealed that 3,971 cases (45.2%) were unnatural deaths, 3,679 cases (41.9%) were natural deaths, and 1,127 cases (12.8%) were unknown deaths. Among the unnatural deaths, the majority of the cases (1,740 cases, 43.8%) were accidents, 1,316 cases (33.1%) were suicide, 385 cases (9.7%) were homicide, and 530 cases (13.3%) were undetermined deaths. Among the unnatural deaths, the majority of the cases (1,575 cases, 39.7%) were trauma, followed by 793 cases (20.0%) of poisoning and 689 cases (17.4%) of asphyxia. Falling down was the major cause of death by trauma (737 cases, 46.8%). As a result of the classification of asphyxia based on previous study, strangulation was the major cause, with 538 cases (78.1%). Among the natural deaths, heart disease was the major cause (1,790 cases, 48.7%), followed by vascular disease (697 cases, 18.9%).

Keywords: Autopsy, Cause of death, Statistical data interpretation, Korea

Figures and Tables

Table 1

Deaths, unusual deaths, autopsies, and autopsy rate in Korea in 2017

kjlm-42-111-i001

Subtotal 1 includes police agency, except coast guard; subtotal 2 includes coast guard, except police agency; total includes police agency and coast guard.

Chungchengnam-do includes Sejong-si.

Autopsy rate 1, autopsies/deaths; Autopsy rate 2, autopsies/unusual deaths; PA, police agency; CG, coast guard.

Table 2

Age, sex, and manner of death of total number of legal autopsies performed in Korea in 2017

kjlm-42-111-i002

Values are presented as number (%).

M, male; F, female; NI, not identified.

Table 3

Cause of death and sex in unnatural death of legal autopsies performed in Korea in 2017

kjlm-42-111-i003

Values are presented as number (%).

M, male; F, female; NI, not identified.

Table 4

Cause of death in trauma of legal autopsies performed in Korea in 2017

kjlm-42-111-i004

Values are presented as number (%).

M, male; F, female; NI, not identified.

Table 5

Fatal sites of blunt force injury and manner of death of legal autopsies performed in Korea in 2017

kjlm-42-111-i005

Values are presented as number (%).

PSH, primary shock; TSH, traumatic shock.

Table 6

Fatal sites of sharp force injury and manner of death of legal autopsies performed in Korea in 2017

kjlm-42-111-i006

Values are presented as number (%).

Table 7

Cause of death in asphyxia of legal autopsies performed in Korea in 2017

kjlm-42-111-i007

Values are presented as number (%).

M, male; F, female; NI, not identified; NOS, not otherwise specified.

Table 8

Cause of death in poisoning of legal autopsies performed in Korea in 2017

kjlm-42-111-i008

Values are presented as number (%).

M, male; F, female; NI, not identified.

Table 9

Cause of death in thermal injury of legal autopsies performed in Korea in 2017

kjlm-42-111-i009

Values are presented as number (%).

M, male; F, female; NI, not identified.

Table 10

Cause of death and sex in natural death of legal autopsies performed in Korea in 2017

kjlm-42-111-i010

Values are presented as number (%).

SMDS, sudden manhood death syndrome; SIDS, sudden infant death syndrome.

Table 11

Cause of death and sex in miscellaneous natural death of legal autopsies performed in Korea in 2017

kjlm-42-111-i011

Values are presented as number (%).

Table 12

Manner of death in children under 10 of legal autopsies performed in Korea in 2017

kjlm-42-111-i012

Values are presented as number (%).

Neonate, birth-4 weeks; Infancy, 1 month-1 year; Preschool, 2–5 years; Prepuberty, 6–9 years; M, male; F, female; NI, not identified.

Table 13

Analysis of unknown cause of death cases performed in Korea in 2017

kjlm-42-111-i013

Values are presented as number (%).

Infancy, 1 month-1 year.

Table 14

Death, unusual deaths, and autopsies in Korea from 2012 to 2017

kjlm-42-111-i014

Values are presented as percentage.

Table 15

Cause of death in unnatural death of legal autopsies in Korea from 2012 to 2017

kjlm-42-111-i015

Values are presented as percentage.

Table 16

Cause of death in natural death of legal autopsies in Korea from 2012 to 2017

kjlm-42-111-i016

Values are presented as percentage.

Table 17

Cause of death of legal autopsies in Korea from 2012 to 2017

kjlm-42-111-i017

Values are presented as percentage.

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Forensic Service (NFS2018MED04), Ministry of Interior and Safety, Republic of Korea.

Notes

Conflicts of Interest No potential conflict of interest to this article was reported.

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ORCID iDs

Ji Hye Park
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9467-2232

Joo-Young Na
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1138-433X

Bong Woo Lee
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2896-0359

Kyung-moo Yang
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7807-8084

Young Shik Choi
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5564-5277

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