Entire Jeju Seobu Police Command Placed on Standby Over False Closure of Missing Person Case

Police officer who dismissed the report
released after detention review

The National Police Agency has placed the entire command line of Jeju Seobu Police Station, which had falsely closed the case of Jang Miran (37) who was found dead three months after going missing in Jeju, on standby duty and has launched a full-scale internal investigation.

On the 25th, the National Police Agency announced that it had placed all four members of the command line, including the former and current chiefs of the police station, the chief of the criminal affairs division, and the head of the missing persons unit, on standby duty due to their supervisory responsibility over the false conclusion of the missing persons case at the Jeju Seobu Police Station. The intent is to hold both the chief at the time of the initial report in May and the current chief accountable. In addition, the agency is conducting an internal inspection to verify the facts regarding their command and oversight responsibilities.

Seoul Seodaemun-gu Police Agency. Photo by Hyunmin Kim

According to the police, Jang left her home in Hallim-eup, Jeju on May 12 at around 10:15 pm, carrying only her cellphone, and then lost contact. Her family filed a missing persons report on the 15th, three days later, but Officer A falsely closed the case, causing a delay in the initial response. The police subsequently discovered what is presumed to be Jang's body during a joint search near Hallim-eup, Jeju at 10:46 am the previous day, and are currently conducting forensic work to confirm her identity and cause of death.

Officer A reported that he had made contact with Jang when the missing persons report was filed, but call records do not confirm this. It was also revealed that Officer A deleted Jang's information from the missing persons profiling system management list.

On the 22nd, the Jeju Police Agency urgently arrested Officer A on charges of dereliction of duty, falsifying and using official electronic records, and obstruction of official duties by deception. However, the Jeju District Court granted the detention review requested by Officer A the previous day on the grounds that the requirements for an emergency arrest had not been met, and he was released. Nevertheless, the police have applied for a detention warrant for him.

During the investigation into Jang's case, it was also discovered that Officer A had falsely closed another missing persons case using the same method on July 2. The missing person in that case was also found dead on the 22nd.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.