South Korean police criticized over missing person case handling

Criticism is mounting against the Jeju police department following the discovery of a body believed to be that of Jang Mi-ran, who had been missing for 104 days. The incident has amplified concerns about the police's effectiveness and responsiveness in handling missing person cases, particularly in light of the fact that missing persons cases can be early indicators of more serious crimes.

Despite the critical nature of initial investigations, reports indicate that approximately 99% of the nearly 70,000 adult missing person reports filed annually are categorized as "simple runaways." This categorization has led to a perceived neglect of these cases. Furthermore, police officers reportedly avoid working in missing persons units, viewing them as undesirable due to the heavy workload and the significant responsibility involved, often without commensurate rewards or recognition.

"Missing person cases don't necessarily lead to standout achievements if the person is found quickly, and if they aren't found, the responsibility is immense," explained one Seoul police officer, highlighting the unique pressures of the role. This sentiment contributes to the unit being a low priority for personnel allocation within police departments.

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Missing person cases don't necessarily lead to standout achievements if the person is found quickly, and if they aren't found, the responsibility is immense.

Adding to the systemic issues are inconsistent investigation procedures across different police stations, leading to a lack of uniformity in response. The quality of "risk assessments," a crucial component of initial investigations, varies significantly depending on the individual officer's capabilities. This inconsistency raises concerns about cases being mishandled or arbitrarily closed by 담당자 (officers in charge), as potentially happened in the Jeju case, where basic procedural steps may have been overlooked.

Experts suggest structural reforms, such as assigning risk assessments to external professional organizations or profilers, and requiring higher-level approval for case closures. The current system, where individual officers can unilaterally close cases without mandatory supervisory review or sufficient objective evidence of the person's safety, is seen as a significant flaw that needs immediate attention.

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The missing person case unit is generally considered to be in a 'waiting' status, and often gets marginalized when it comes to personnel support.