(EDITORIAL from Korea JoongAng Daily on Aug. 24)

A police officer at Jeju Seobu Police Station has been found to have falsified records regarding missing persons cases, raising doubts about the integrity of police investigations. This officer closed two separate missing person cases without proper investigation, leading to the deaths of both individuals. Had police taken a more active approach, the victims might still be alive today.

Police have arrested the officer on suspicion of dereliction of duty and are reviewing his handling of missing person cases from the past year. The officer's actions in each case were suspicious; for instance, in July, he told the family of a missing man that he had contacted him, only for the man to be found dead later that day.

Similarly, in May, he told a superior he had contacted a missing woman, but no record of this call exists, suggesting it may have been fabricated. The woman remains missing. This officer's actions have led to a strain on credibility, as the way he handled these cases is deeply concerning. The upcoming revision to the Criminal Procedure Act, set to take effect in October, will give police exclusive investigative authority, potentially exacerbating concerns about police manipulation and suppression of evidence.

This incident comes in the wake of another high-profile case where police were accused of manipulating evidence in the murder of a high school girl in Gwangju. Public anxiety over the police's ability to be trusted with broad investigative powers is growing. While prosecutors retain the authority to conduct supplementary investigations, police have been able to shelve cases at their discretion, and in some instances, investigations involving relatives of police officers have allegedly been minimized.

As police powers expand, it is crucial for authorities to ensure that officers have the necessary investigative expertise and ethical standards. Failing to do so could leave ordinary citizens bearing the consequences of poor investigations.