Police to require manager approval for closing missing person cases after alleged false closure

South Korean police are implementing system improvements to prevent the mishandling of missing persons cases, following allegations of a false closure in the disappearance of Jang Mi-ran in Jeju. The National Police Agency is revising its "Missing Persons Profiling System" to mandate managerial approval before any case can be officially closed.

Under the current system, a police officer can unilaterally close a missing person case in the system. The planned revision aims to change this by requiring a manager to review the reasons and information provided by the investigating officer before granting final approval for closure. This change is expected to be implemented within a month.

The incident that prompted this review involved Jang Mi-ran, a woman in her 30s, who went missing in Jeju in May. The officer in charge reportedly closed the case on the same day it was reported, stating that Jang was reachable but requested her location not be disclosed. However, Jang's family insisted they had not been able to contact her and filed a missing person report again last month.

An investigation into Jang's mobile phone records revealed no communication with the officer at the time the case was reportedly closed. The Jeju Provincial Police Agency has since booked the officer on charges of dereliction of duty and is continuing its investigation into the alleged false closure.