SEOUL, South Korea — The discovery of four people who had been reported missing and were later found dead on South Korea’s Jeju Island has triggered a national outcry, placing the country’s police force under intense scrutiny just as it prepares to take on greater investigative powers.
President Lee Jae Myung has called for stronger police accountability following allegations that at least two missing-person cases were prematurely closed by the same officer without confirmation that the individuals were actually safe. The controversy has raised a disturbing question now echoing across South Korea: How many warning signs were missed before it was too late?
Among the most heartbreaking cases is that of Jang Mi-ran, 37, whose disappearance became a national controversy after her missing-person report was allegedly closed without police confirming her whereabouts. Her body was found on Jeju on Monday—104 days after she disappeared.
Another missing person, a man in his 60s, was also found dead after his case was reportedly handled by the same officer and prematurely closed. Authorities say the deaths are unrelated, but the alleged failures in police procedure have transformed separate tragedies into a wider crisis of public trust.
Nearly 300 Cases Now Under Review
The fallout is rapidly expanding. Police are reviewing all 298 missing-person reports handled by the officer, with media reports indicating that around 10 cases are being examined for possible improper closure. South Korean media have also reported growing concerns that other cases may have been mishandled.
The officer has been detained on suspicion of dereliction of duty, falsifying official electronic records and obstructing official duties, according to Yonhap News Agency. The officer has denied wrongdoing, maintaining that contact was made with the missing individuals, according to reports cited by authorities.
The investigation is no longer focused solely on one officer. Reports indicate that the chain of command at the Jeju police station involved has also come under internal scrutiny, raising questions about whether supervisors failed to detect serious problems in the handling and closure of missing-person reports.
President Lee: More Power Must Mean More Responsibility
Speaking at a Cabinet meeting, President Lee warned that police could become one of the most powerful institutions in the country and stressed that responsibility must grow alongside authority.
His comments come at a politically sensitive moment. South Korea is preparing for changes that will significantly expand the police’s role in criminal investigations after prosecutors’ remaining investigative powers were curtailed, with the changes expected to take effect in October. The Jeju controversy has therefore intensified public debate over whether sufficient oversight mechanisms are in place.
President Lee has also called for a thorough investigation and broader institutional reforms, while reports indicate that discussions are underway on strengthening oversight of the police.
Police Promise Reforms—But Families Want Answers
Acting National Police Commissioner Yoo Jae-seong has apologized and pledged reforms to prevent similar failures. Police have announced that missing-person case closures will require supervisory sign-off while improvements are made to the case-management system.
The urgency is clear. South Korean police received 70,814 reports of missing adults last year, and more than 70,000 adult missing-person reports have been filed annually since 2022. While authorities say the overwhelming majority are resolved within 30 days, the Jeju cases have exposed how devastating the consequences can be when even a small number of cases fall through the cracks.
For the families of those who died, however, promises of reform cannot undo what happened.
The Jeju tragedy is now about more than one officer or one police station. It has become a national test of whether South Korea can build an accountability system strong enough to match the expanding power of its police force.
And as investigators reopen hundreds of files, one question remains impossible to ignore: Could some of these deaths have been prevented if the system had acted when families first asked for help?
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