Jeju Police Criticized for Slow Response to Missing Woman Case

Authorities are facing criticism following revelations of a seemingly indifferent police response to a missing person case that was prematurely closed, only for the individual to be later found deceased. The family of the missing woman, Jang Mi-ran, 37, reported experiencing a hesitant police reaction even during a second report filed last month.

According to the Nowon Police Station, Jang's cousin filed a missing person report on July 19. The report was entered into the system shortly after and transferred to the Jeju Provincial Police Agency within the hour. At the time, the Nowon Police Station noted that the Jeju Western Police Station had already closed the case, citing contact with Jang. The officer who took the second report allegedly questioned the cousin, asking if it was a "simple runaway" case given Jang was an adult and if a relative other than a direct family member could file such a report.

A police official from Nowon Station explained that such questions were part of the process to determine the veracity of the report and assess any potential danger, suggesting the exchange may have been misunderstood. Jang had left her home on the night of May 12 and lost contact. Her initial missing person report was filed on May 15, but the case was closed by an officer at the Jeju Western Police Station just over two hours later, at 9:16 PM. Despite an ongoing search in the vicinity of Hallim Port based on Jang's phone location, the search was halted after the officer informed the reporter that contact had been made with Jang and falsely closed the case.

This premature closure and alleged false reporting by the officer meant that a full-scale search was not initiated for over a month, even after the second report from the family. Police discovered a body presumed to be Jang's on the morning of August 24 in Hallim-eup, Jeju City, and are currently working to confirm her identity. The incident has ignited concerns about police protocols for handling missing person cases and the potential consequences of procedural errors.

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It seems like a misunderstanding occurred during the process of determining the truthfulness of the report and assessing the risk to her safety, as it was a case that had already been closed.