Four missing people were found dead on South Korea’s Jeju Island within three days, prompting the arrest of a police officer and national calls for accountability.
The body of Jang Mi Ran, 37, was discovered on Monday roughly 104 days after she was reported missing. A man in his 60s was found dead on Saturday, 50 days after his missing-person report was filed with local police. Another man, in his 70s, was located by a person fishing. The fourth body, not yet identified, turned up near a valley in Aewol-eup, Jeju City, also on Monday. All four had previously been reported missing and were found on hiking trails and in residential areas.
Investigations into the deaths led to the arrest of a 35-year-old police officer, surnamed Bu, on Tuesday on suspicion of dereliction of duty, falsifying official electronic records, and obstructing official duties, according to Yonhap News Agency.
Bu denies the allegations and claims he had contacted Jang and the man in his 60s before closing the cases, claims that police have been unable to find records of.
Police are now reviewing all 298 missing-person cases handled by Bu, with 10 being examined for possible improper closure. Four more senior officers at Jeju Seobu police station have been suspended while the National Police Agency conducts an internal investigation into whether they properly supervised case handling.
With so many missing people and the spate of dead bodies on Jeju, growing fears have emerged that a serial killer may be responsible. No official declaration has been made to that effect, and there is no suggestion that officer Bu directly harmed any of the missing people.
Reports said that Jang is believed to have committed suicide, having been found at a palm tree farm about 500 metres from where she was staying. Suicide rates in South Korea are among the highest in the world, with violent crime rare.
That has not stopped scores of people on social media from sharing that they have cancelled planned trips to the island over safety fears. A user called Pop EMPIRE wrote on X: “Personally cancelled my trip to Jeju Island next month over concerns going around right now.”
Another user called Salo added on the same platform: “We’re cancelling our 3 days trip to Jeju in September because WTF.”
Others have shared unsettling experiences from visits to Jeju. One account described eating at a restaurant near their accommodation when the owner insisted on driving them back, despite the short walking distance.
The account continued: “Eventually, we got in, and while she was driving us back, she said how there aren’t many people around here anymore, that there’ve been a lot of murders and missing people. But everyone just keeps quiet about it all. Then she went on to say that the missing ones are all tourists—tourists stick out so obviously as tourists, so it feels like they’re being targeted for that reason. She kept warning us, no matter how close the accommodation is, to always take a taxi around, and she dropped us right in front of our place before leaving.”
The Jeju Province issued a statement calling on people to “refrain from spreading content that incites anxiety about Jeju’s safety.” As quoted by Hani, it read: “We express deep regret that unverified facts and exaggerated interpretations are being circulated in some media outlets and on social media regarding the recent regrettable police response to the missing person case. We are making every effort to ensure the safety of residents and tourists, and we will do our utmost to make Jeju even safer.”
Lee Jae-myung, the nation’s president, addressed the crisis on Tuesday during a cabinet meeting. “The recent breakdown in police discipline and irresponsibility in public safety matters have become a serious problem,” he said. “Police are likely to wield the greatest power among state institutions,” adding that the public questioned whether the force could bear the responsibility. “Responsibility must be strengthened in proportion to the size of the authority.”
Police agencies across South Korea are now reviewing previously closed missing-person reports dating to 2024, including 92,800 in Seoul and 25,605 in Busan, 99 per cent of which were closed.