Lee Jae Myung Demands Enhanced Police Accountability Amid Jeju Island Missing Persons Scandal

POLICY WIRE — Seoul, South Korea — South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has urged for heightened police accountability in the wake of public fury over the mismanagement of several missing person cases on Jeju Island. This call comes as the police are slated to assume a more significant role in criminal investigations.

During a cabinet meeting on August 25, President Lee remarked, “Police are likely to wield the greatest power among state institutions,” and emphasized that the public is skeptical about the force’s ability to handle such responsibility. He asserted, Responsibility must be strengthened in proportion to the size of the authority.”

Authorities reported that four individuals who went missing on Jeju were discovered deceased over a span of three days leading up to Monday. Although these cases were unrelated, two of them were purportedly closed by the same officer without verifying the safety of the missing individuals.

These allegations have incited the police to scrutinize all 298 missing person reports managed by this officer. Media sources indicate that approximately 10 cases are under review for potential improper closure.

One of the cases involved Jang Mi-ran, a 37-year-old woman whose disappearance sparked a national controversy after the police allegedly closed her case without confirming her safety. Her body was located on Monday, 104 days after she went missing.

Another case concerned a man in his 60s who was reported missing again by his family, leading to a renewed search that concluded with the discovery of his body.

The officer in question was detained by a court on August 25 on charges of dereliction of duty, falsifying official electronic records, and obstructing official duties, as reported by Yonhap News Agency. The officer refuted the allegations, claiming he had contacted the missing individuals, according to a police official cited in the report.

Jeju police declined to provide separate comments on their management of these cases, which have heightened safety concerns and drawn criticism on social media.

Acting National Police Commissioner Yoo Jae-seong issued an apology and vowed to implement measures to prevent future occurrences. Police have mandated supervisory approval for the closure of missing person cases until an upgrade to their case-management system is completed, Yoo informed lawmakers on August 24.

We will examine the entire system and make institutional improvements so that this never happens again,” Yoo pledged, promising a review of all cases handled by the officer.

Official data reveals that South Korean police received 70,814 reports of missing adults last year. Since 2022, over 70,000 such reports have been filed annually, with the majority resolved within 30 days, according to police records.

This controversy surfaces after the ruling Democratic Party divested prosecutors of their remaining investigative powers in July, citing a history of abuse. The change, set to take effect in October, leaves the police with an expanded investigative role.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)