Police Mishandling of Jeju Missing Person Case Exposes Flawed Response, Improper Closure

Police in Jeju are under fire for alleged mishandling of a missing person case, which has since led to the discovery of two bodies. The investigation into the disappearance of Jang Mi-ran, 37, and the subsequent finding of a second body, believed to be a man in his 60s, has revealed a series of failures by the police. These issues range from the initial handling of the report to the subsequent investigation and closure of the case.

The most significant criticism centers on the alleged premature closure of the missing person report. According to reports, an officer from the Jeju Western Police Station's missing persons team initially received the report on May 15. Within approximately two hours, the case was reportedly closed by the officer, who entered 'traffic accident death' into the 'missing person profiling system.' This system allows for cases to be deleted from active management lists once marked as 'death,' leaving only a historical record.

This closure allegedly occurred without the required face-to-face confirmation of the missing person's safety. Standard procedure dictates that officers must meet with the missing individual to ensure their well-being before closing a case. The article suggests this fundamental principle was disregarded. Furthermore, it has come to light that the supervisory chain of command remained unaware of the case's improper closure for over three months, raising serious questions about oversight and accountability within the department.