A South Korean police officer on Jeju Island faces charges for allegedly closing two missing persons cases prematurely and falsely, leading to tragic outcomes as both victims were later found dead. The officer, identified as Bu, is accused of fabricating contact with the individuals before closing their cases, preventing further investigation. This misconduct has prompted a massive review of 298 similar cases handled by Bu and has led to administrative leave for his superiors, alongside a presidential order for sweeping police reforms. The scandal has also raised concerns about the accuracy of missing persons investigations nationwide and has impacted perceptions of safety on Jeju Island.

A South Korean police officer on Jeju Island faces charges for allegedly closing two missing persons cases prematurely and falsely, leading to tragic outcomes as both victims were later found dead. The officer, identified as Bu, is accused of fabricating contact with the individuals before closing their cases, preventing further investigation. This misconduct has prompted a massive review of 298 similar cases handled by Bu and has led to administrative leave for his superiors, alongside a presidential order for sweeping police reforms. The scandal has also raised concerns about the accuracy of missing persons investigations nationwide and has impacted perceptions of safety on Jeju Island.

A South Korean police officer on Jeju Island faces charges for allegedly closing two missing persons cases prematurely and falsely, leading to tragic outcomes as both victims were later found dead. The officer, identified as Bu, is accused of fabricating contact with the individuals before closing their cases, preventing further investigation. This misconduct has prompted a massive review of 298 similar cases handled by Bu and has led to administrative leave for his superiors, alongside a presidential order for sweeping police reforms. The scandal has also raised concerns about the accuracy of missing persons investigations nationwide and has impacted perceptions of safety on Jeju Island.

The Jeju Provincial Police Agency in South Korea detained a police officer after he was charged with falsely and prematurely closing two missing persons cases on Jeju Island, south of the country, on Tuesday.

Both the victims, 37-year-old Jang Miran and a man in his 60 were found dead in Western Jeju earlier this week.

35-year-old Bu, however, maintained on Wednesday that he had contacted the two people before he closed their cases.

Police have been unable to find records showing that Bu contacted either of the missing persons.

The victims were both reported missing in May and July, respectively. After their families reported them missing, Bu told them that the two were contacted and that they did not want to contact their families. The cases were closed, and their names were removed from the profiling system.

Police resumed searches after their families filed fresh missing person reports.

The man was found dead on Saturday, 50 days after he went missing, and Jang was found dead on Monday, 104 days after she was reported missing.

A third body, belonging to a man in his 70s, was found dead by a man fishing on the island and a fourth was found in a valley in Aewol-eup, Jeju City, on Monday.

Police are now conducting a full review of the 298 missing persons cases Bu closed during the past 17 months.

About 10 of the cases are being examined for possible premature closure.

Authorities on the island received criticism after it was reported that they were reopening a case that was closed months ago.

Bu was charged on Tuesday with suspicion of dereliction of duty, falsifying official electronic records, and obstructing official duties, the Yonhap News Agency reported.

Police officers said that they couldn't understand Bu’s motivation for falsely closing the cases. One police official told Korean daily JoongAngIlbo, “Even if Bu had simply told the families, ‘We haven’t been able to reach the missing person,’ and left a record of that, his workload would not have increased significantly.” “Yet he actively fabricated information and rushed to close the cases. I simply cannot understand why,” he added.

Four officers in the sergeant's chain of command have been put on administrative leave, and on Tuesday President Lee Jae Myung ordered a sweeping reform of the police force.

On Wednesday, police said that Jang Mi Ran, who went missing in May, is believed to have died by suicide about 500 metres from her residence. Bu reportedly closed her case without confirming her whereabouts.

About 70,000 adults are reported missing in South Korea each year, and 99 per cent aof the are resolved within a month, according to the korean national police agency Seoul economic daily reported. A majority of them are suicides.

The incident in Jeju has prompted police agencies across the country to review previously closed missing persons cases, local media reported.

Authorities said that they are currently conducting a full investigation into the 298 missing person cases handled by Senior Inspector Bu, while also verifying whether proper command and supervision were exercised.

Meanwhile, a former police officer stabbed his estranged wife to death in Seogwipo City on the island this week,

The killings and the missing persons incidents have led to a drop in tourism interest on the island.

The Jeju provincial government urged people to refrain from spreading and distributing content that incites anxiety about Jeju's safety, and to delete any false information.

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