Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP151136)
Chong Chul Sim is recorded in public missing person databases as a 45-year-old Asian man who vanished in connection with Los Angeles, California, with his date of last contact listed as February 28, 2020. At the time he was reported missing, he was described as approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall and about 140 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.
Case information notes no distinctive physical features, no specific clothing description, and no known vehicle or transportation details tied to the day associated with his disappearance, which leaves only a very basic physical profile for those trying to recognize or remember him.
What makes Chong’s case especially painful for those who care about him is the long gap between when his family last remembers seeing him and the later official trace of his life in government records. According to the case summary, Chong’s family last saw him in Los Angeles in 2013. Years then passed without a documented in-person sighting by loved ones. The next verified marker in time comes not from a personal encounter, but from administrative data: records from the California Department of Motor Vehicles show that he updated his state identification on February 28, 2020. That transaction is treated as his official date of last contact, suggesting that he was still managing basic aspects of his life at that time, even though his family had not seen him for years.
The available documentation does not explain why there was such a long delay before an official missing person report was filed, nor does it provide details about Chong’s daily routines, employment, health, or social connections. The entry notes that there is no information entered about distinctive physical marks, clothing, accessories, or other items that can sometimes help narrow searches or generate leads. There is also no information listed about possible means of transportation, such as a car, public transit patterns, or travel outside the area, and no additional narrative about the circumstances that led his family or others to become concerned. The absence of these details underscores how many unanswered questions surround what happened to him after that last documented interaction in 2020.
Chong’s case was added to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System in October 2025, several years after his last known DMV activity. The case listing shows his current age as 50, reflecting the time that has passed while he has remained missing. The status of the case is shown as published and unresolved, with no indication that he has been located or that his remains have been identified. The record confirms that he is missing from Los Angeles County and that he is not associated with tribal land either in terms of where he went missing or where he lived. These details, limited as they are, help keep his name and face in official systems so that any new information can be connected back to him.
The investigation is noted as being handled by the Los Angeles Police Department’s Adult Missing Persons Unit, based at 100 West 1st Street in downtown Los Angeles. The NamUs entry lists an agency case number and the main contact telephone number for the department, providing a formal channel for any tips or information that might surface. The fact that his case has been formally entered and is being tracked through both local law enforcement and a national database reflects an acknowledgment that Chong is still missing and that his disappearance matters, even though there are few public clues about where he may have gone or what he may have been experiencing.
Behind these sparse lines of data is a person whose life once intersected closely with family in Los Angeles, then gradually receded from view until only an identification update at the DMV marked his continued presence. For his loved ones, the time between their last sighting in 2013 and the present represents years of uncertainty, worry, and hope that some clear answer will emerge. For the broader community, his file is a reminder that people can slip through the cracks quietly, with little public notice. Keeping his case visible, even in the form of a brief but carefully maintained record, is one way of honoring his humanity and preserving the hope that someday the questions surrounding his disappearance will be answered.Last Seen: Feb 28, 2020
