

Chris Herhalt, CP24.com





The family of a 38-year-old Markham father who was reported missing on Wednesday made an impassioned plea for his safe return on live television this afternoon.

Eugene Kim was last seen by his family on Monday morning at 7 a.m. in the area of Bayview Avenue and Royal Orchard Bouelvard.

Later at 9 p.m., his brother Sean says he texted his wife to tell him he would be home in an hour. He texted again hours later after his wife asked where he was to say he would be home "soon."

Det. Patrick Brown said there is no reason to suspect anything criminal has taken place but the family is extremely concerned for his safety.

When he didn’t return, Brown said family reported him missing on Wednesday morning.

Police traced the call to a cell tower in the area of North Bay, approximately a 335 kilometre drive north of where he was last seen on Monday.

Sean Kim says his brother also paid for a permit to enter nearby Algonquin Park sometime later. Park staff says he was with someone when he paid for the permit, but Eugene’s family does not know who that person is.

Sean said family members set out for Algonquin Park on Wednesday to search for him. Brown said officers from two separate OPP detachments as well as conservation officers in Algonquin are searching campgrounds for Eugene.

His mother, Myung Sook Kim, asked anyone who has seen him to contact police immediately.

“We want your safe return so badly. We love you, we miss you so much.”

His wife, Christine, fighting tears, asked him to come home for the sake of his son and daughter.

“Eugene, we love you please come to us. We can’t live without you. Adi and Carter need you.”

His family and police say it is extremely out of character for him to be away from his wife and two children, a six-year-old boy and a two-year-old girl.

Christine told CP24 she has not yet told their two children that their father is missing.

“We haven’t told them, we aren’t going to tell them until we have to.”

His brother-in-law said he was his “regular, happy self” in the days leading up to his disappearance. He added that Eugene was “well-liked at work” and was a “creature of habit.”

Police say he has no known connection to the North Bay area, but did like to go camping occasionally, leading them to search the Algonquin Park grounds.

Eugene is described as a Korean male, standing five-feet-nine inches tall, weighing 185 pounds. He has black hair and wears eyeglasses.