POLICE were today examining a body thought to be that of a missing South Korean student who visited York shortly before she disappeared.

In Hea Song, 22, who was studying hotel management at London Guildhall University, has not been heard from since December 8.

Earlier this year police appealed to the people of York to help solve the mystery of her disappearance.

She had been caught on CCTV at Victoria coach station in London before she boarded a coach bound for York on November 16.

Scotland Yard today said a body had been found at a house in Augusta Street, Poplar, east London, where Ms Song was known to have stayed.

A spokesman said: "The new occupiers of the house discovered the body on Friday afternoon and contacted police. Inquiries are continuing to identify the body."

A post-mortem examination will be performed later today, he added.

He said he could not discuss the circumstances in which the body had been found.

More details were expected to be released later today when the post- mortem examination has been completed.

The spokesman said Miss Song's parents would be told about the find.

But he added: "It isn't for us to speculate at the moment until we are certain."

Police initially linked Ms Song's disappearance to the discovery of another missing South Korean woman, Hyo Jung Jin, 21, whose decomposed body was found in a suitcase near York in November.

Kyu Soo Kim, 30, from Holborn, central London, appeared at the Old Bailey on January 28 charged with the murder of Ms Jin.

Updated: 10:21 Saturday, March 16, 2002