An officer who worked on the missing-persons team at Jeju Western Police Station was investigated in custody on suspicion of falsely closing two missing-person reports. The Jeju Provincial Police Agency announced that the case would be referred to prosecutors on September 1, followed by a briefing on the investigation. However, as of the time of verification, the referral and briefing were scheduled procedures, and final criminal responsibility has not been determined.
Key Developments
The officer is suspected of processing and closing a missing-person report involving a woman in her 30s, filed on May 15, 2026, and another involving a man in his 60s, filed on July 2, as if actual contact had been made. Police said they were investigating the officer in custody on charges including dereliction of duty, falsifying and using official electronic records, and obstruction of official duties through deceptive means.
The key facts currently confirmed are the alleged false closure of two missing-person reports and the resulting investigation in custody.
Current Status
The Jeju Provincial Police Agency said it plans to refer the officer to prosecutors on September 1 and brief the public on the investigation’s findings the same day. Reports indicate that the Jeju District Prosecutors’ Office plans to examine the motive, any additional falsification allegations, and possible causal links to the victim’s death after receiving the case records.
The officer handled and closed a total of 298 cases while working on the missing-persons team at Jeju Western Police Station. Police are conducting a full review of all of them, and the number of additional falsely closed cases has not yet been determined. Reports also said that after the initial false closure, the officer, who was deployed for a renewed search, checked the missing woman’s mobile-phone location four times.
Impact
The case has raised questions not only about the accuracy of individual missing-person records but also about approval by superiors and the internal chain of command and supervision. However, it cannot be concluded that all 298 cases were falsely closed, and the officer’s alleged conduct must continue to be described as allegations until a court reaches a final decision.
The cause of the missing person’s death, any connection to a crime, and the scale of additional false closures can only be confirmed after the prosecutors’ investigation and the police’s full review are completed.
Next Checkpoint
The following points are expected to be examined during the prosecutor referral and Jeju Provincial Police Agency briefing scheduled for September 1:
- The specific circumstances surrounding the alleged false closures
- The officer’s motive and any additional falsification allegations
- Whether additional cases are identified in the full review of 298 cases
- Investigation findings concerning approval by superiors and the internal chain of command and supervision
- Investigative findings on any causal relationship between the missing person’s death and the conduct in the case