South Korean Police to Review 310,000 Cases After Jeju Missing Persons Scandal

The National Police Agency of South Korea will conduct a comprehensive review of approximately 310,000 missing person cases closed over the last three years. This nationwide audit follows a scandal on Jeju Island where a police officer allegedly closed missing person cases based on false information. The review, which is scheduled for completion by November, aims to identify cases vulnerable to improper closure and reopen investigations where necessary.

At the center of the controversy is a 37 year old woman, Jang Mi-ran, who disappeared from Jeju on May 12. A police officer surnamed Bu allegedly told Jang's family and boyfriend that he had spoken with her and that she was safe but did not want to be found. Her body was discovered on August 19 in a forest near her accommodation. Police now believe she likely died by hanging in the early hours of May 13, shortly after she disappeared. A second case involving a man in his 60s was also allegedly closed by Officer Bu under similar false pretenses; that man was also later found dead.

Officer Bu was detained under an arrest warrant on charges including dereliction of duty and falsifying public electronic records. While the officer denies the allegations and maintains he contacted the missing individuals, police stated they found no records of such communication. Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung issued a public apology on Wednesday, calling the incident a structural flaw in the police system and ordering a thorough investigation into potential misconduct.

Reports on the event vary in focus based on political lean. Center leaning sources focus primarily on the official police response and the administrative steps being taken to fix the system. Center right leaning sources emphasize the broader societal impact, highlighting a growing fear among tourists and residents regarding safety on Jeju Island, as well as the legal gaps in how South Korea handles missing adults compared to children. Center left leaning sources frame the event as a national scandal centered on the discovery of multiple bodies.