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Jeju Island police scandal erupts over falsified missing person reports
A major police scandal has emerged on Jeju Island following the discovery of several bodies of individuals previously reported missing. The investigation centers on a 34-year-old officer, identified as Bu, who has been arrested on charges including dereliction of duty, forgery of public records, and obstruction of justice.
Bu is accused of falsely closing missing person reports by claiming he had made contact with the individuals, despite no such communication appearing in phone records. In one notable case, 37-year-old Jang Mi-ran was found dead 104 days after her disappearance, located only 400 meters from her accommodation. Bu allegedly used a 'traffic accident casualty' code to delete her records from the profiling system. He is also accused of falsely closing a report for a 60-year-old man, whose body was also later discovered.
Authorities are currently conducting a full investigation into 298 missing person reports handled by Bu since last year. In response to the scandal, four senior officials at the Jeju Seobu Police Station have been relieved of their posts for supervisory failures. The incident has prompted calls for police reform and increased oversight to prevent the falsification of official records.
Entities
Democratic Party of Korea · Interpol · Jang Mi-ran · Jeju · Jeju Island · Jeju Police · Jeju Provincial Police Agency · Jeju Seobu Police Station · Joo Jin-woo · Ko Pyeong-gi · Lee Jae Myung · Lee Jae-myung
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 10 SOURCES] Officer Bu was arrested for falsely closing the missing person cases of Jang Mi-ran and a man in his 60s.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Officer Bu claimed he entered the women's restroom because it was an emergency and there was no toilet paper in the men's room.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Unidentified fingerprints and palm prints were found on the ceiling and upper parts of toilet stalls in the restroom.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Officer A lied to reporters, saying the missing person was safe, to close the case.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Four members of the Jeju Seobu Police Station leadership line have been placed on standby.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Officer Bu was caught entering a women's restroom at the Jeju Seobu Police Station on July 22.
- [● 6 SOURCES] Police are conducting a full investigation into 298 missing person reports handled and closed by Officer Bu.
- [● 2 SOURCES] President Lee Jae-myung ordered the Prime Minister's Office to plan a police reform body based on public opinion.
- [● 6 SOURCES] An autopsy of Jang Mi-ran revealed no unusual external trauma or fractures. www.koreatimes.co.kr
- [● 7 SOURCES] A sergeant from the Jeju Seobu Police Station was arrested for falsely closing the missing person case.
- [● 7 SOURCES] Police estimate Jang Mi-ran likely died between the night of May 12 and the early morning of May 13. www.koreatimes.co.kr
- [● 6 SOURCES] A rope found at the scene is presumed to be a personal item brought by Jang Mi-ran. www.koreatimes.co.kr