298 Missing Person Cases Are Being Reopened.. What Is Happening on JEJU ISLAND??

A major Jeju Island missing-person scandal is unfolding in South Korea after 37-year-old Jang Mi-ran was found dead 104 days after disappearing in May 2026. Police allege an officer at Jeju Western Police Station prematurely closed her case after falsely claiming he had spoken with Jang and confirmed she was safe. Another missing man in his 60s, whose family says it received a similar explanation, was later found dead after 51 days.

Authorities are now reviewing all 298 missing-person cases handled by the officer during roughly 17 months in the unit. A dedicated task force has been established, supervisory approval will now be required before missing-person cases can be closed, and President Lee Jae Myung has ordered a thorough investigation into the failures that allowed the cases to be terminated.