A WOMAN who has disappeared spent 12 hours in York the day before a fellow Korean's body was discovered in a dumped suitcase.

Detectives this afternoon appealed for anyone who may have seen In Hea Song in York on Saturday, November 17, to contact them urgently.

They also want to speak to anyone who was travelling on a coach from London which brought her into York at 4.10 am that day, and on another coach which took her back to London at 4.10pm.

Police think Miss Song's disappearance may be linked to the discovery on November 18 of the partially-clothed and decomposed body of 21-year-old Hyo Jung Jin in a suitcase dumped in a country lane near Askham Richard.

Miss Jin had lived at the same address in Eagle Street, west London, as In Hea Song, a 22-year-old student at the Guildhall University, London.

Tests have revealed that Miss Jin, a student, who was bound and gagged, had been suffocated by an "upper airway obstruction."

Detectives told a press conference at Scotland Yard today that there was no evidence of a sexual assault on Miss Jin.

Officers said there was no suggestion of involvement in prostitution, although this possibility had been investigated.

Nor was there any direct link to organised crime, said Detective Superintendent Peter Ship, in overall charge of the case.

Police also confirmed reports that an email had been sent by Miss Jin in October before she disappeared in which she had referred to a "kind" man whom she had met and had shown her the sights of London.

She is reported to have said in the email that she was planning to meet up again with her new friend in Paris to go to EuroDisney.

Detective Chief Inspector Alan Ankers, of North Yorkshire police, said the email was a line of inquiry that was currently being pursued.

Miss Jin was bound and gagged with adhesive tape designed by controversial London-based artists Gilbert and George and sold only at the country's four Tate art galleries in London, Liverpool and Cornwall.

Miss Song was reported missing by a friend on December 18 and was last seen on December 8. It is not believed the two women lived there at the same time or that they were friends.

Miss Jin, whose body was identified last week, had been studying French at Lyon University in France and was reported missing when she failed to return from a visit to London in late October.

A team of about 15 officers from York, led by Detective Chief Inspector Alan Ankers, have been in London since last Tuesday working with colleagues on the Metropolitan force who are probing Miss Song's disappearance.

The discovery of the woman's body shocked villagers in picturesque Askham Richard, and sparked a major inquiry by North Yorkshire police.

Anyone with information should contact police on 0208 345 3387.

Updated: 15:27 Thursday, January 17, 2002