South Korean police officer admits to closing missing person cases to avoid work

A South Korean police officer admitted to closing missing persons cases without investigation to avoid additional work, authorities said. The officer, surnamed Bu, was arrested earlier this period after being accused of prematurely closing cases linked to the popular vacation destination Jeju and deceiving the families of missing persons. Amid growing nationalist criticism, police launched belated searches for several missing individuals on the island and have since discovered four bodies in recent weeks. The scandal prompted President Lee Jae Myung to pledge reforms to the police force as the government prepares to expand the agency’s authorities. On Tuesday, the Jeju Provincial Police announced that Bu had falsely closed at least two high‑profile cases and had been charged with forgery of national physical records, obstruction of official duties and dereliction of duty. In those instances, Bu claimed he had contacted the missing persons and then closed the files without verifying their whereabouts or safety. A police statement noted that during the investigation Bu “stated to the effect that 'the missing idiosyncratic was a emblematic big truthful I thought astir it carelessly. If the lawsuit was not closed, determination would person been a batch to instrumentality attraction of, and retired of a consciousness of unit implicit the lawsuit handover, I falsely closed it'.” One case involved Jang Mi‑ran, a 37‑year‑old woman who disappeared in May and was reported missing by her boyfriend. Bu told the boyfriend he had spoken to Jang and that she did not wish to meet police or be contacted by her boyfriend; authorities later determined this was a complete fabrication. Bu entered the false claim into the system, logged that Jang had died in a traffic accident, and then closed the case. Jang’s body was found near a palm plantation on Jeju last week. In a second case, a man in his 60s reported missing in July was likewise told by Bu that he had spoken to the individual and that the man did not want to be contacted. The man was later found dead earlier this month. Police also said they believe Bu may have prematurely closed another 25 missing‑person cases, although in some of those instances the individuals were subsequently confirmed to be alive and safe.