Woman found dead in tent near Gunsan rest area

A woman in her 30s was found dead in a tent near a rest area in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, police said Tuesday.

According to the Gunsan Police Station, the woman, 37, was discovered dead at around 5:10 p.m. by a man who was with her at the time, near the Geumgangho Service Area. The man immediately reported it to police upon finding her unresponsive.

When the police arrived at the scene, the woman showed signs of rigor mortis – stiffening of the muscles which usually occurs three or four hours after death. The woman's body showed no visible signs of assault or physical abuse, according to police.

Police investigation revealed the woman and the man met through social media and had been traveling since last week. The man told the police that the two had been drinking the night before and fell asleep, and that he woke up to find the woman had died.

A portable camp stove was found inside the tent, leading investigators to suspect that the woman may have died from carbon monoxide poisoning. The police plan to request an autopsy from the National Forensic Service to determine the exact cause of death, and conduct further investigation on the man.

The police said it will continue on with the investigation, based on statements from the man and other witnesses, to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.