South Korean Police Officer Accused of Improperly Closing Possible 298 Missing Persons Cases, Told Families They Had Spoken to the Missing Individuals
A South Korean police officer has sparked national outrage after he was accused of improperly closing a number of missing persons cases on Jeju Island. The mishandling of the cases was only discovered after four people who were reported missing were found dead within three days.
The South Korean President, Lee Jae Myung, has called for greater police accountability following the revelation, according to an article from Reuters. The call follows public outrage over the mishandling of several missing persons cases.
The officer’s alleged mishandling was revealed after four people who had previously been reported missing were found dead. The cases were not related, but two of the cases were allegedly closed by an officer identified only by their surname: Bu. Bu supposedly failed to confirm whether the missing people were safe before closing the cases.
The allegations made against the officer led to a review of all 298 missing persons cases that they had closed in the past. Local media reports that 10 cases in particular are actually being examined for improper closure. Bu has denied accusations of improperly closing the cases.
A more in-depth look at the missing persons cases
One of the bodies found on Jeju belonged to 37-year-old Jang Mi-ran who was reported missing back in May. Her body was found on Monday around 500 meters from where she was staying at the time. BBC News reports that Bu allegedly spoke with Jang’s boyfriend and told him that he had spoken with Jang over the phone and that she did not wish to be contacted. It’s alleged that he then closed the case prematurely.
Police also found the body of a man in his 60s who went missing on June 28. Bu closed the case and allegedly told the family that he had spoken with the man and confirmed he was “safe,” but that he “does not wish to disclose his location to the family.”
“We believed the police when they said my father was safe and waited, but after 51 days, what returned was his body,” the man’s son told reporters after the body was discovered.
The news sparked outrage in South Korea, with many expressing distrust towards the country’s police force. With almost 300 missing persons cases to Bu’s name, there are bound to be a lot of questions.
There were strong calls for Bu’s punishment online: “This police officer should be imprisoned for life. How the hell did he pass the police academy?” Wrote one person on X. Others speculated about wider police corruption: “This lousy cop wasn’t acting alone. There’s a group of cop[s] involved.” According to BBC News, four officers in the sergeant’s chain of command have been put on administrative leave.
(Featured image: The Korea Herald)
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