Jeju Woman Found Dead After Police Officer Falsely Closed Missing Person Case

The body of Jang Mi-ran, a 37 year old woman who went missing in May, was discovered on Monday in a palm tree farm in Jeju City's Hallim township. Police stated that she likely died between the evening of May 12 and the early hours of May 13, roughly 104 days before her remains were found. While Jeju police noted that the posture of the body and her clothing suggest a low likelihood of foul play, they stressed that no definitive conclusion has been reached and the National Forensic Service is conducting further examinations. Jang's father and boyfriend have questioned the suicide theory, noting that she had a known fear of the palm grove where she was found and had no known history of depression treatment.

The discovery has sparked nationwide outrage due to the mishandling of the initial investigation. A police officer identified by the surname Bu is under criminal investigation for dereliction of duty and obstruction of official duties. Bu reportedly closed Jang's case just over two hours after receiving the report on May 15, falsely claiming she had died in a traffic accident. It was later revealed that Bu also falsely closed the case of a man in his 60s by recording a fake telephone number. His direct supervisors have been temporarily removed from their posts, and the Korean National Police Agency is reviewing other cases handled by Bu.

Reporting on the event differs based on political lean. Center right coverage focuses on the specific details of the police investigation and the father's confusion regarding the location of the body. Left leaning coverage frames the event as a systemic failure of police transparency, highlighting how the family was denied access to cell tower data and criticizing the police practice of withholding evidence from families under the guise of ongoing investigations.