A South Korean police officer has admitted to closing missing persons cases without conducting proper investigations to avoid additional work, authorities reported. The officer, identified by his surname Bu, was arrested earlier this month following accusations of prematurely closing cases on the popular holiday island of Jeju and providing false information to the families of missing individuals.
Amidst public outcry, police initiated belated searches for several missing persons on the island and have since found four bodies in recent weeks. The scandal has prompted calls for reform within the police force.
On Tuesday, the Jeju Provincial Police stated that Bu had falsely closed at least two high-profile cases. He faces charges including forgery of public electronic records, obstruction of official duties, and dereliction of duty. In both instances, Bu had falsely claimed to have contacted the missing persons and subsequently closed their cases without verifying their whereabouts or safety.
During the investigation, Bu reportedly stated that he "thought about it carelessly" because the missing persons were typical adults. He also indicated that "if the case was not closed, there would have been a lot to take care of, and out of a sense of pressure over the case handover, I falsely closed it."
One case involved Jang Mi-ran, a 37-year-old woman who went missing in May and was reported by her boyfriend. Bu had informed the boyfriend that Jang had been contacted and did not wish to meet police or be contacted by him. Authorities later confirmed this account was fabricated. Jang's body was discovered last week near a palm tree plantation on Jeju.
In another case, a man in his 60s reported missing in July was subject to a similar false report by Bu, who claimed to have spoken to the man and that he did not want to be contacted. The man was found dead earlier this month.
Police also suspect that Bu may have prematurely closed as many as 25 other missing persons cases. In some of these instances, the individuals were later confirmed to be alive and safe.