South Korean Cop admits to closing missing person cases to avoid work

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Seoul: A South Korean police officer was arrested after lying to falsely close over two dozen missing persons cases to avoid heavy workload pressures, leaving two victims who were later found dead on Jeju island.

The officer, surnamed Bu, managed around 300 missing persons cases over 16 months, frequently deleting records or falsely informing families that their missing relatives did not wish to be contacted. 

Among the deceased was 37-year-old Jang Mi-ran, whose body was discovered in late August after Bu improperly recorded her disappearance as a ‘traffic accident’.

Jeju Police Agency detective Jung Tae-woon confirmed that Bu acted out of severe work-related fatigue and an evasive, irresponsible attitude. 

Due to the advanced decomposition of Jang's body, authorities could not determine her cause of death, reversing earlier police assessments that ruled out foul play.

The resulting national scandal prompted President Lee Jae Myung to order an official investigation into the mishandled cases and demand police reforms. 

A comprehensive audit later confirmed that 25 other individuals affected by Bu's falsified closures were eventually located safe.