A South Korean woman in her 40s was found dead in a wooden coffin after she took part in a spiritual ceremony, believing that the “death experience” would help rid her of misfortune and bring her good luck in the future, The Korea Times reported.
READ MORE: China Bans Winnie the Pooh Film Over President Xi Memes, US Media Claims
The two survivors found their friend dead the following morning; they told investigators that the now-deceased woman complained that it was so hot that she could not breathe and tried to get out of the coffin, but they convinced her to proceed with the ritual.
The cause of the death is yet to be determined, but there were no signs of foul play, police said.
“It’s possible the victim suffocated while sleeping inside the airtight coffin. An autopsy will be conducted to find the exact cause of death,” a police officer told The Korea Times.
According to local media, citing investigators familiar with the case, the three women were followers of a “pseudo-religious cult,” the number of which has recently spiked in South Korea.
