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🇰🇷 South Korea /Crime & Justice

Police face backlash over alleged mishandling of missing persons cases on Jeju Island

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Police are facing criticism for alleged severe dereliction of duty in two missing person cases on Jeju Island.
  • In one case, a 37-year-old woman presumed dead was found after her initial missing person report was allegedly closed prematurely by the investigating officer.
  • A similar incident involved a 60-year-old man whose disappearance was also allegedly self-closed by the same officer, leading to public outcry over the police response.

Jeju Island police are under intense public scrutiny following allegations of severe dereliction of duty in two separate missing person cases, both of which ended with the discovery of the individuals as deceased.

The body's posture and location suggest a low probability of criminal involvement.

— Police officialCommentary on the circumstances surrounding the discovery of Jang Mi-ran's body.

In the case of 37-year-old Jang Mi-ran, presumed dead after being missing for 104 days, her body was found near a farm in Hallim-eup. The initial missing person report, filed by her boyfriend, was allegedly closed by the investigating officer within hours, despite her phone remaining active. This premature closure, reportedly based on the officer's claim of contact, led to a missed opportunity for location tracking. A second report by her family was also inadequately handled, with a proper search only commencing after her real name and photo were released to the public.

Adding to the controversy, a similar lapse occurred in the disappearance of a 60-year-old man. The same police officer allegedly closed his case prematurely, claiming he was safe, despite repeated assurances from the family that he remained unreachable. It was only after the family reported him missing again, prompted by news of Jang Mi-ran's case, that a search was initiated, leading to the discovery of his body.

I trusted the police, but I did not receive enough help.

— Family memberExpressing disappointment with the police response to the missing person case.

The police's handling of these cases has sparked widespread criticism, with accusations of "self-closure" and delayed investigations. CCTV footage that could have provided crucial leads in Jang Mi-ran's case was automatically deleted before police could access it. The police department acknowledged the officer's involvement in handling 298 missing person cases, raising concerns about potential further instances of mishandling. The department stated that the circumstances of the bodies' discovery suggest low probability of criminal involvement, but the public remains outraged by the perceived negligence.

I was told by the police that my father was not answering his phone and that the family should look for him themselves.

— Family memberDescribing the police's dismissive response to a missing person report.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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