The body of a 51-year-old man was found inside an oil pipeline in Incheon on Sunday.

The body, identified by police to be that of a nearby resident, was discovered by a worker during a pipeline company inspection. The body was found in a long-sleeved shirt and pants. 

According to Incheon Seobu police, the body was not badly decomposed, but it was difficult to immediately determine the cause of death.

Police are looking into the possibility of homicide considering that the dead man was not a pipeline company employee and the area where the body was discovered is not easily accessible. The pipeline was located 5 meters below ground, and could only be reached by ladder.

Police on Monday requested an autopsy by the National Forensic Service and are looking into footage from nearby surveillance cameras as part of the investigation.

By Lee Tae-hee (taeheelee@heraldcorp.com)