S. Korea’s Lee calls for greater police accountability after Jeju missing-person cases

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has emphasized the need for greater police accountability following public outrage over the handling of several missing-person cases on Jeju island. During a cabinet meeting, Lee stated that police responsibility must be commensurate with the authority they wield. The public has questioned whether the police force can shoulder this responsibility, given its significant role among state institutions.

On Jeju, four individuals reported missing were found dead over three days, while two other cases involved individuals whose disappearances were initially deemed closed by the same officer without confirming their safety. This has prompted the police to review all 298 missing-person reports handled by the officer, with about 10 under scrutiny for potential improper closures.

One case involved a 37-year-old woman, Jang Mi-ran, whose disappearance sparked a national controversy after police closed the case without verifying her safety; her body was found 104 days after she vanished. Another case involved a man in his 60s, whose family reported him missing again, leading to a renewed search and the discovery of his body.

The officer suspected of dereliction of duty, falsifying official electronic records, and obstructing official duties has been detained by a court. He denies the charges and claims he contacted the missing people, according to a police official. The Jeju police have remained silent on the handling of these cases, which has fueled safety concerns and criticism on social media.

Acting national police commissioner Yoo Jae-seong has apologized and pledged measures to prevent similar incidents. The police have ordered supervisory sign-offs on missing-person case closures pending an upgrade to their case-management system. Yoo assured lawmakers that the entire system will be examined, and institutional improvements will be made to ensure such occurrences are avoided in the future.

South Korean police received 70,814 reports of missing adults last year, with more than 70,000 such reports filed annually since 2022, though most cases are typically resolved within 30 days. This controversy unfolds amid the recent stripping of prosecutors' investigative powers by the ruling Democratic Party in July, which is set to take effect in October, granting police a substantially expanded investigative role.