대한제국시대 검험에서 사망원인 규명 과정의 일례 - 임피군 김백룡 치사사건에 대한 법의학적 분석을 중심으로 -

The analysis of the Geomheom Shijang report reveals how the post-mortem examination was conducted to determine the cause of death within the judicial system of the Joseon Dynasty. This study focuses on the post-mortem examination of Kim Baik-Ryong’s death in Impi County, Korean Empire, in 1899. Kim was allegedly struck in the abdomen with a kick during an argument with Yi Mal-Dong, and later succumbed to death after prolonged illness. Before his death, Kim had suffered from a severe purulent lesion in his lower abdomen, with pus draining around his navel. During the investigation, a controversy arose over whether Yi Mal-Dong’s kick to the abdomen could be considered the cause of death, given that Kim passed away long after the incident. In the Joseon Dynasty, if a person died beyond the legally designated timeframe following an incident, the causal connection between the harm inflicted and the death could not be legally established. Consequently, coroners faced challenges in confirming that Yi Mal-Dong’s kick was the cause of death. Although it was evident that the deceased had been debilitated by the beating, after four rounds of investigation to determine the cause of death, the case was closed without establishing a definitive link between the beating and Kim’s death. This case highlights the complex interplay of regulations designed to prevent unjust outcomes during investigations in the Joseon Dynasty, particularly in determining the actual cause of death.