Inquest into the Suspected Death of Kichae KWON
Delivered on: 2 July 2026
Delivered at: Perth
Finding of: Acting State Coroner Linton
Recommendations: Nil
Orders/Rules: N/A
Suppression Order
On the basis it would be contrary to the public interest, I make an Order under s 49(1)(b) of the Coroners Act 1996 (WA) that there be no reporting or publication of any document or evidence that would reveal Police policies and standard operating procedures in relation to Missing and At Risk Persons, Procedures, Missing Person Procedures and Case Management and the District Operations Supervisor (DOS) Operational Guide and the Australia New Zealand Policy for Missing Persons investigations.
Summary
Mr Kwon was born in the Republic of Korea. He was married and had two children. He emigrated to Australia in June 2005, before the rest of his family joined him in August 2005. Mr Kwon was the sole income earner for his family and worked in various locations within Western Australia and interstate. His most recent employment was in mining fabrication, but he resigned from this place of employment in early February 2021 due to difficult working relationships with colleagues.
Mr Kwon had a significant gambling addiction and was forced to sell the family home in 2012 to pay off gambling debts. His ongoing gambling had caused significant stress in his life and he had exhibited signs of depression and threatened to self-harm in the past. The loss of employment had exacerbated his negative mental state.
Mr Kwon’s left home to go the Crown Casino on 24 February 2021. Later evidence suggests he took out money from ATM’s and likely gambled and lost it at the casino. Mr Kwon did not return home until the next morning, being 25 February 2021. He did not talk much and when asked by his wife why he was out all night, he did not respond. At about 9.00am that same morning Mr Kwon’s wife heard the front door open and then close. She noticed that he had left the house but had not taken any belongings. She thought he had simply gone for a walk, but he did not return home that night.
On 26 February 2021, family members went to the Cannington Police Station to report Mr Kwon as missing. The Police marked Mr Kwon as ‘absent’, rather than ‘missing’ and after making a few enquiries, the job was closed.
On 3 April 2021, after the family still had no contact from Mr Kwon, they returned to the Cannington Police Station to follow up. Police took further details and this time Mr Kwon was categorised as ‘missing’ and a missing person investigation commenced.
Mr Kwon’s home in Kenwick is adjacent to an expansive area of bush and wetlands where he was known to take walks. A number of land and air searches of that area were conducted but found no trace of him.
Since the morning of 25 February 2021, there have been no sightings nor any signs of life for Mr Kwon. Subsequent inquiries and proof of life checks have shown no record of Mr Kwon since his disappearance and his family believe he is deceased.
The Acting State Coroner was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Kwon is deceased and that he died on or about 25 February 2021. The cause of death is unascertained and an Open Finding was made as to the manner of death.
The coroner did not make any recommendations. The coroner did make some comments on the decision to initially categorise Mr Kwon as ‘absent’ rather than ‘missing’.
Catch Words: Long Term Missing Person : Mental health : Gambling : WA Police categorisation “missing” or “absent” : Open Finding.
Last updated: 13 July 2026