President Lee Orders Police Reform After Jeju Officer Falsely Closed Missing Person Cases

President Lee Jae Myung has ordered a government led overhaul of the police force after a Jeju Island officer allegedly fabricated records to close missing person cases involving two individuals who were later found dead. The order comes as the police are set to assume greater investigative powers on October 2, a shift that will strip prosecutors of certain authorities. President Lee stated that increased power must be accompanied by increased responsibility and directed the Prime Minister's Office to lead the reform effort.

The scandal centers on an officer, surnamed Bu, who is accused of closing the case of 37 year old Jang Mi-ran in May by falsely claiming he had confirmed her safety. Jang's body was discovered on Monday at a palm farm approximately 400 meters from her accommodation, 104 days after she was reported missing. A second case involving a man in his 60s was closed by the same officer under similar circumstances; that man was found dead on August 22. The Jeju District Court issued an arrest warrant for the officer on charges including dereliction of duty, forgery, and falsifying public electronic records.

In response to the failures, the National Police Agency placed four senior officers from the Jeju Seobu Police Station on administrative leave, including the current and former station chiefs. Authorities are now reviewing all 298 missing person reports handled by the officer in question. Additionally, police agencies in Seoul and Busan have begun reviewing previously closed missing person reports to ensure no other cases were improperly terminated. Further reports indicate that the officer had previously been investigated for domestic violence and for entering a women's restroom at his workplace.

Political reactions to the event vary by perspective. Center right sources emphasize the systemic need for accountability and the timing of the power shift from prosecutors to police. Left leaning sources focus on the police attempt to cover up the disappearances and the emotional toll on the families. Center sources provide detailed accounts of the legal proceedings and the specific charges against the officer.