Asphyxiation identified as cause of death for South Korean student in Taiwan

Researcher was attending seminar with two colleagues

Chosun University in Gwangju, South Korea (photo by Pioneerhj)

Chosun University in Gwangju, South Korea (photo by Pioneerhj) (Wikimedia Commons photo)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) - A South Korean researcher who was found dead in her hotel bathtub last August died due to asphyxiation, and not because of sulfur poisoning as earlier reports mentioned Thursday.

The 26-year-old woman researcher from Chosun University in Gwangju traveled to Taiwan with a male professor and a female colleague to attend a seminar last August 29-31, the Liberty Times reported.

However, on August 31, she was found dead in the bathtub of the hotel in Taipei City's Beitou District provided by the seminar organizers, the report said. The area is known for its hot springs and sulfur fumes.

Investigators conducted an autopsy before the woman’s body was flown to South Korea, where her family buried her on September 6. They concluded that there had been no build-up of sulfur inside her room, but that she died of asphyxiation due to a shortage of oxygen.

Chosun University said she had not visited any hot springs outside the hotel, while her body did not show any apparent injuries or wounds. The college described the researcher as a diligent worker eager to acquire knowledge.