Jeju police to strictly handle prank calls, secondary harassment in missing person case

Jeju police have pledged strict action against prank calls and secondary harassment targeting the family of a woman who has been missing for three months.

The National Investigation Headquarters of the Korean National Police Agency issued a statement addressing the issue. They noted that prank calls are being made to the phone number shared on social media by the missing person's family for receiving tips. Furthermore, unverified information, mockery, and disparaging posts about the missing individual are appearing on some online communities.

"These actions cause significant additional mental suffering to the victim's family and constitute serious secondary victimization," the police agency stated. They warned that such behavior, including prank calls and online secondary harassment, could be in violation of relevant laws such as those concerning insult, defamation, and stalking.

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These actions cause significant additional mental suffering to the victim's family and constitute serious secondary victimization.

The police agency emphasized that its Secondary Victimization Crime Investigation Division is intensifying its monitoring of related online posts. "For posts where illegality is recognized, we plan to respond with strict law enforcement, including deletion and blocking," the statement added.

The case involves Jang Mi-ran, 37, who disappeared in Jeju in mid-May. The initial missing person report filed on May 15th was reportedly closed by the handling officer, who stated that they had contacted Jang and she had requested her location not be disclosed. This led to allegations of a "false closure" of the case. The family filed a renewed missing person report last month after continued inability to contact Jang.

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For posts where illegality is recognized, we plan to respond with strict law enforcement, including deletion and blocking.