🕒 Created · Updated

President Lee Jae Myung calls for police reforms following public outrage over mishandled missing-person cases on Jeju island.

President Lee Jae Myung has ordered a sweeping reform of the South Korean police force following public outcry over the mishandling of missing-person cases on Jeju island. The controversy centered on a police sergeant who was arrested for allegedly closing several cases prematurely without confirming the safety of the missing individuals. Notably, the case of 37-year-old Jang Mi-ran was closed by the officer despite no record of a phone call existing, even though the officer claimed to have spoken to her. Her body was later found 104 days after she vanished. Another case involved a man in his 60s who was reported missing in June; the officer told the family he was safe but did not wish to disclose his location, only for his body to be found 51 days later. In response to the scandal, the administration announced that police will re-examine nearly 300 cases handled by the individual officer and all 310,000 cases closed over the past three years. These reforms aim to strengthen accountability as the police force takes on a larger investigative role following the transfer of full investigative powers from prosecutors.

Sources