Cop closed missing persons cases ‘to avoid work’ in South Korea

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, September 3, 2026

A South Korean police officer was arrested for falsely closing over two dozen missing persons cases, including two later found dead, in an effort to reduce his workload. This misconduct has led to a nationwide investigation, presidential intervention, and demands for police reforms to address workload pressures and improve case management.

A police officer in South Korea has been arrested for falsifying the closure of more than two dozen missing persons cases, including two individuals who were later found dead, authorities said. The misconduct was reportedly motivated by the officer’s desire to avoid additional workload.

The controversy emerged following the discovery of four bodies on Jeju Island in August, which heightened public scrutiny over the police’s handling of missing persons investigations. Among the deceased was 37-year-old Jang Mi-ran, whose body was found on August 24, several months after she was reported missing.

The officer, identified by the surname Bu, allegedly recorded Jang’s death as a “traffic accident” and misled her family by stating that he had contacted her and she chose not to be found. Bu was arrested last week in connection with these actions.

Jeju Police Agency detective Jung Taewoon told reporters that Bu’s decisions were primarily the result of work-related negligence stemming from accumulated stress and fatigue due to increased responsibilities. The detective also criticized Bu’s “evasive and irresponsible attitude” as a contributing factor to the offenses.

Initial police reports had indicated no signs of foul play in Jang’s case; however, authorities later stated that the advanced decomposition of her body prevented determination of the cause of death.

In response to the incident, President Lee Jae-myung ordered a thorough investigation and called for reforms within the police force to improve the handling of missing persons cases.

Following Bu’s arrest, a comprehensive review was conducted on approximately 300 missing persons cases he managed over a 16-month period. The review found that Bu had falsely closed 25 additional cases by either marking individuals as deceased without verification or deleting records. All those individuals were eventually located safe.

The incident has raised concerns about the broader implications of understaffing and workload pressures on police effectiveness in South Korea, prompting calls for systemic changes to prevent similar failures in the future.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.