South Korean police scandal over missing-person cases deepens public distrust

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A South Korean police officer's alleged falsification of documents in two missing-person cases has exposed gaps in police oversight and fueled public distrust of police.

Those two missing people — and two others -- were found dead on South Korea’s most popular resort island, Jeju in the past several days, sparking a media frenzy. The scandal also comes as the country prepares for a restructuring of its criminal justice system that will give police greater authority because prosecutors will be stripped of their investigative powers.

Responding to the public concerns, President Lee Jae Myung instructed his prime minister at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday to explore ways to reform police.

In one case, the officer — who has only been identified by his family name, Bu — closed the missing-person report on a 37-year-old woman who disappeared more than three months ago without confirming her safety. Bu allegedly lied to the woman's boyfriend, telling him at the time that he had reached her by phone but that she asked for her location to not be disclosed.

The body of the woman, Jang Mi-ran, was found at a palm tree farm on Jeju Island on Monday.

After belatedly learning of Bu's falsification, her family earlier this month posted her photos online and appealed for information about her whereabouts, prompting extensive media coverage of her case.

Police said the officer also closed another missing-person report involving a 60-year-old man last month with a similarly false statement. The man’s body was found on Saturday, also on Jeju.

Police arrested Bu on Monday and announced they were investigating all the 298 missing-person reports handled by him since last year and are trying to understand why Bu falsely handled the two cases.

“We feel deeply sorry for causing concerns to the public over the handling of missing person cases in Jeju. We will examine our system as a whole and make institutional improvements to prevent similar incidents from happening again,” acting National Police Agency Commissioner Yoo Jae-seong told a parliamentary committee meeting Monday.

He said the latest fiasco was caused by a mix of an individual problem and a systemic failure. Under a now-suspended system, officers were allowed to close missing-person reports on their own without reporting to their superiors.

Interior and Safety Minister Yun Hojung and Jeju’s police chief Ko Pyeong-ki have also apologized separately.

Earlier this year, police faced withering criticism over the brutal killing of a high school girl after the father of the suspect, who is a police officer, and other officers were accused of destroying evidence to help him avoid a charge that he intended to rape her as well and avoid a graver sentence.

“Public anxiety has grown as flaws in the policing system have emerged, while confidence in the police has plummeted,” the mass-circulation JoongAng Ilbo newspaper said in an editorial Tuesday. “People are entitled to wonder where they can turn when even reporting a disappearance does not ensure an investigation.”

Police found two more bodies on the island – one on Sunday and the other on Monday. They were both reported as missing to police, though Bu wasn’t involved in their missing-person reports, according to South Korean media.

The deaths are threatening to harm the image of Jeju, one of South Koreans' most beloved tourist destinations. Located off the southern coast of the Korean Peninsula, the island has been dubbed the “Hawaii of Korea” for its picturesque volcanic landscapes.

Social media in South Korea have been filled with messages stoking fears about safety on Jeju, with some spreading groundless rumors and deriding the island. Jeju officials said there haven't been any meaningful changes in the number of tourists to the island.

On Thursday, Jeju's governor, Wi Seong-gon, announced steps to make the island safer. They include working out an integrated response manual, installing more security cameras and strengthening joint patrols by police and civilian volunteers.

“We will concentrate all our efforts on protecting the everyday lives of Jeju residents and visitors and upholding public confidence in Jeju as a safe destination,” Wi told a news conference.