Published 10 hours ago • loading... • Updated 3 hours ago
Jeju Police Face Backlash Over Missing Person Cases
Police say the officer closed more than 200 missing-person cases without confirming safety, prompting arrests, senior suspensions and a nationwide review.
On Tuesday, the Jeju District Court issued an arrest warrant for police officer Bu following the discovery of 37-year-old Jang Mi-ran's body on August 24 near Hallim-eup, Jeju City.
Falsifying records to close Jang's missing-person case roughly 2.5 hours after it was filed in May, Bu allegedly repeated this misconduct in approximately 298 cases over 17 months at Jeju Western Police Station.
Investigators recovered a man in his 60s on August 22 whose missing-person case Bu also allegedly closed improperly; police are now reviewing all 298 reports Bu handled to determine if others were wrongly terminated.
President Lee Jae-myung ordered a national investigation and reform, stating, "With great investigative authority comes great accountability," while the National Police Agency suspended four senior officers at Jeju Western Police Station.
Police agencies nationwide have begun reviewing previously closed missing-person reports to identify systemic failures, with proposals for stronger supervisory sign-off under review to prevent unilateral case closures without verification.