(LEAD) Arrest warrant issued for Jeju police officer over mishandling of missing person case

On August 25, the Jeju District Court issued an arrest warrant for a Jeju police officer in connection with a missing person case that may have resulted in the woman's death. The court started the hearing for the officer's arrest warrant on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m., accusing him of dereliction of duty, forgery, falsifying public electronic records, and obstructing official duties through deception.

The officer is alleged to have prematurely closed the case of missing woman, Jang Mi-ran, in May without verifying her safety and erased her information from the police's missing persons profiling system. Authorities confirmed that a body discovered on Jeju Island belonged to Jang. The officer was taken into emergency custody on Saturday but was released on Monday after a court examined the legitimacy of his detention.