Jeju Island Case, Shaken by Missing Persons Report - 4 Bodies Found in 3 Days

Kapanlagi.com - Jeju Island, South Korea, is currently in the spotlight after four individuals who were previously reported missing were found dead within just three days. According to Liputan6.com, citing Channel News Asia and Yonhap News Agency, the four cases are not related; however, two of them are suspected to have been closed by the same officer without confirming that the missing persons were indeed safe.

This series of discoveries has raised public concern and strong criticism of police procedures in handling missing persons reports, leading to a direct response from the President of South Korea.

1. Chronology of the Discovery of Four Corpses

The series of corpse discoveries began on August 22, when a man in his 60s was found dead in Songdang-ri, Gujwa-eup, Jeju City, after being reported missing since July 2. Here is the sequence of other corpse discoveries that occurred in succession:

- August 23, early morning: a fisherman found the body of a man in his 70s in the waters near Sinheung-ri, Jocheon-eup, who had been reported missing the day before
- August 23, morning: another corpse that had been previously reported missing was found near a valley in Aewol-eup
- August 23, afternoon: the body believed to be Jang Mi-ran, a 37-year-old woman who had been missing since May, was found near the inn where she had been staying - exactly 104 days after she was reported missing

The case of Jang Mi-ran gained national attention after the police allegedly closed her missing person report without ensuring her safety, only to have her reported again and found dead.

2. Police Procedures Under Spotlight

The police are now reviewing all 298 reports of missing persons that were previously handled by officers suspected of involvement, with about 10 cases among them currently being investigated for allegedly being improperly closed. On Tuesday, a court officially detained the officer on charges of negligence in carrying out duties, falsifying official electronic records, and obstructing the execution of official duties, as reported by Yonhap News Agency.

The officer in question denies all allegations and claims to have contacted the missing persons, according to reports citing a police official. Meanwhile, the Acting Commissioner General of the National Police, Yoo Jae-seong, has issued an apology and promised corrective measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring, including requiring approval from superiors for any closure of missing persons cases.

Official data shows that the South Korean police received 70,814 reports of missing adults last year, with similar numbers exceeding 70,000 cases each year since 2022.

3. South Korean President Speaks Out

This controversy has also drawn a response from South Korean President Lee Jae-myung. He called for the police to increase accountability amid public anger, coinciding with reform plans that would give the police institution a greater role in criminal investigations, as reported by Channel News Asia.

In a cabinet meeting, Lee emphasized that the significant authority that the police will have must be in line with their responsibilities. "Responsibilities must be strengthened in proportion to the extent of authority," he asserted.

4. How Many Bodies Were Found in Jeju in This Case?

Four bodies of missing persons were found on Jeju Island over a span of three days, specifically on August 22 and 23, 2026, with two of them suspected to have been handled by the same police officers.

5. Why is Jeju Police Procedure Criticized?

The police are suspected of closing several missing persons reports without ensuring the safety of the reported individuals, prompting a review of hundreds of other cases previously handled by the same officers.

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(kpl/jje)