Senior police officers in South Korea’s Jeju removed from duty over missing-person scandal

Key Points:

• Four senior officers at Jeju Seobu Police Station have been suspended amid an investigation into a police officer, Bu, who allegedly falsely closed missing-person cases, including that of Jang Mi-ran, later found dead.
• Officer Bu is accused of closing cases without verifying the safety of the missing individuals, leading to charges such as dereliction of duty and falsifying official records; he allegedly closed two cases where the individuals were later discovered deceased.
• The National Police Agency is reviewing 298 missing-person cases handled by Bu and has initiated nationwide reviews of closed missing-person reports, with Seoul and Busan police examining tens of thousands of cases since January 2024.
• Criticism grew after it was revealed police missed warning signs in a second case involving a man in his 60s, whose family had reported concerns prior to his disappearance and death.
• The Acting National Police Agency Commissioner apologized for the mishandling of Jang’s case, and police have introduced stronger senior-level verification protocols before closing missing-person cases.