PM suggests external reform body to overhaul police after Jeju death

Prime Minister Han Seong-sook has hinted at the possibility of creating an external body to conduct structural and governance reforms within the police force, following serious failures in the handling of a missing persons case on Jeju Island. Speaking during a press briefing at the Government Complex in Seoul, Han stated that while internal reform within the police is necessary, a body tasked with reviewing the organization as a whole should be established outside the police force.

This recommendation comes in response to a series of missing person cases on Jeju Island that exposed significant problems in police procedures, supervision, and organizational culture. The controversy has been particularly focused on the case of Jang Mi-ran, a 37-year-old woman who disappeared in the Hallim area of Jeju in May. According to the source, a police officer allegedly closed her case without proper investigation.