Search for missing Korean student reaches dead end

Police have scaled down the search for a Korean student missing for nearly a month from Auckland's North Shore.

Young Wook Ma, 23, also known as Jack Ma, was last seen by his family at his Glenfield home on June 12. He was reported missing two days later.

Police staff from several divisions, including CIB, search and rescue and all nine staff at the Browns Bay station, were involved in the search but they have found no clues to his disappearance.

Inquiry head Sergeant Grant Hand of Browns Bay said three police were now involved in the inquiry.

"We will be looking at his personal computer and his school computer for some more clues but so far we have had no breakthrough," he said today.

"Everything else is pretty much covered off, and none of the reported sightings has proved to be anything."

Mr Hand said Mr Ma's disappearance was completely out of character. There had been no evidence of foul play, or a motive for it, but police were keeping all options open.

Mr Ma left his home without money, credit cards or extra clothing, and his bank account had not been touched. His mobile phone was active for only two days after he was last seen.

A computing student at the Waikato Institute of Technology's Newmarket campus in Auckland, Mr Ma was 176cm tall, of medium build, with black hair.

He was neither suicidal nor depressed.

North Shore Area Commander Inspector Les Paterson said last month there were three possible scenarios for Mr Ma's disappearance: self harm, accidental death, or he was deliberately in hiding.

He said normally there was some evidence to indicate an intent for self-harm or somebody avoiding their family "but in this particular case we're short on evidence for any one of the theories we've advanced".

- NZPA