This study aims to identify insect species relevant to medicolegal entomology in South Korea, to develop valuable forensic indicators for addressing legal challenges. We conducted carcass experiments with animals from 2015 to 2023 and analyzed domestic medicolegal literature. Species with uncertain taxonomic status or those recorded only once in experiments or literature were excluded. Our dataset includes observations from 185 carcasses, 24 criminal cases, and 468 autopsies. We identified a total of 254 carcass-associated species across 67 families and 8 orders. Of these species, 32 species consistently found on both human corpses and animal carcasses, suggesting their significance in forensic contexts. The order Diptera, comprising 53.13% of these taxa, was predominantly represented by the families Calliphoridae (70.59%), Muscidae (17.65%), and Sarcophagidae (11.76%). Coleoptera constituted 46.87% of the identified taxa, with the families Silphidae (53.33%), Dermestidae (26.67%), Cleridae (6.67%), Scarabaeidae (6.67%), and Staphylinidae (6.67%) being most significant. Lucilia sericata was the most frequently found species in autopsies of corpses found indoors (51.95%) and outdoors (14.77%), followed by Phormia regina, Chrysomya megacephala, Chrysomya pinguis and Lucilia illustris, highlighting their potential as forensic markers. This comprehensive study provides crucial baseline data for medicolegal entomologists in South Korea, identifying key insect species as forensic indicators.

법곤충학은 곤충과 관련된 법적 문제를 해결하는 학문으로써, 미국, 유럽, 한국 등 다양한 국가에서 범죄 수사, 사후경과시간 추정 등에 활용되고 있다. 한국은 최근, 법곤충감정실(경찰청) 개소하여 전국의 법곤충 사건을 감정하고 있다. 한국은 짧은 연구역사를 가짐에도 불구하고, 중앙행정기관 산하의 법곤충감정실을 설립, 운영할 수 있는 것은, 그 특이적인 연구역사에서 기인했다. 한국 법곤충 연구는 2004년경부터 시작되었으나, 중앙행정기 관(경찰청, 국립과학수사연구소, 농림축산검역본부)의 투자로 연구개발이 진행되었다. 특히, 한국의 경찰청은 2016-2020년과 2022-2026년, 10년간의 연구과제 발주를 통해 현장 중심의 법곤충 감정 시스템 구축, 비전문가를 위한 형태 및 분자 유전학적 종 동정 기법 개발, 한국형 DB 확보 등을 진행하고 있으며, 법곤충 감정기법의 세계적 인 선도를 목표하고 있다.

This study explores the significant influence of micro-environmental factors on carcass decomposition and insect colonization, with a particular emphasis on detailed insect community analysis. The research employed an innovative approach by placing two pig carcasses in contrasting environments that one in a sunlit open field and the other in a shaded forest. The findings revealed dynamic shifts in insect diversity in the sunlit area, characterized by a rapid increase followed by a decrease, in contrast to the more steady, gradual changes observed in the shaded area. This contrast highlights the sensitivity of insect communities to even minor changes in environmental conditions like sunlight and temperature. It unveils the nuanced ways in which such factors shape the composition and dynamics of insect communities. These insights are crucial for the field of forensic entomology, enhancing the accuracy of post-mortem interval estimations. By providing a clearer understanding of how different micro-environmental conditions influence insect activity and decomposition processes, this study significantly contributes to the refinement of forensic methodologies.

The study of blowfly (Diptera, Calliphoridae) biodiversity and distribution is crucial for forensic investigations involving cadavers. Abiotic and biotic factors, such as seasonality and habitat type, have significant impacts on blowfly populations. However, few forensic entomology studies have been conducted in South Korea, particularly the Gyeongsangnam-do region. To address this, in this study, an extensive year-long survey was conducted to analyze the compositions, habitat preferences, distribution, and seasonal abundance of forensically relevant blowflies in urban and forested habitats in Gyeongsangnam-do, utilizing mouse carcass-baited traps set for 48 h each month. A total of 3,478 adult blowflies were recorded, encompassing six genera and 14 species, with a noted absence of specimens during the winter months. The predominant species was Lucilia porphyrina, accounting for 37.1% of the total sample, followed by Chrysomya pinguis (27.5%), Lucilia sericata (7.6%), and Lucilia illustris (7.1%). The species composition was consistent across all surveyed regions; however, seasonal variation in species diversity was evident, with a peak in spring and decline in summer. Notably, certain species exhibited clear preferences for either urban (Calliphora calliphoroides and L. sericata) or forested habitats (L. porphyrina and Ch. pinguis). This pioneering study elucidates the diverse blowfly communities in Gyeongsangnam-do, highlighting significant seasonal and habitat-dependent variations.

Carcass or the remains of animals are a spatially and temporally patchy resource. Consumers of carcass during the different phases of carcass decomposition show a unique pattern i.e. insect succession i.e. resource pulses. Resource pulses are events of increased resource availability over short period that combine low frequency and large magnitude. The subject field of resource pulses is important because many natural systems are immediately influenced by some pulsed resource component. Specially, species composition (structure) and their activities (function) could be changed by pulsed resources in the incorporated habitat.