박지원 “경찰, 죽일 수도 없고”…제주 실종 ‘허위 종결’에 탄식

South Korean politician Park Ji-won expressed deep concern about the recent handling of a case involving missing person Jeong Myeong-ran during a recent appearance on SBS Radio's "Kim Taehyun's Political Show". The politician, a member of the Democratic Party, asked for stricter control of police powers to address worries about potential abuse and misconduct.

However, the incident of another missing person in Jeju has reignited these concerns, leading Park Ji-won to express his worry that "the situation has become a reality". He stated that he hopes police take corrective measures to improve their conduct, without taking extreme measures like killing or letting them go. After being asked about the incident by reporters, Park Ji-won reiterated his stance, saying, "There's still time to prevent this from happening.

Once a new system is in place, the investigation bureau or public security bureau should ensure proper handling and conduct regular oversight." The Jeju City Police Department's Missing Persons Investigation Team's deputy chief, however, denies the allegations, claiming the missing person is safe and the case has been closed as a hoax.

The deputy chief deleted related data from the missing persons profiling system, leading to his arrest on charges of obstructing a police officer and administrative misconduct, and another case from last month where a 60-year-old man was found during a search. The head of the National Investigation Bureau at the Korea Police Agency apologized on March 23, stating that they are conducting a nationwide investigation into the handling of missing persons cases.