South Korean Prime Minister Han Seung-soo expressed strong regret on August 23 over the controversy surrounding the police's handling of recent missing person investigations in Jeju. He directed a thorough investigation into the matter and called for measures to prevent future occurrences.
In an emergency directive issued that morning, Han instructed the National Police Agency to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the entire process of the missing person case.
He further ordered a meticulous review to ensure there were no instances of the police prematurely closing cases or mishandling reports of missing persons, and requested a prompt report on fundamental prevention measures.
Han also emphasized the need to mobilize all available police resources to search for missing individuals and to respond strictly to prank calls or fake news that exacerbate the distress of the families of the missing.
The controversy arose following criticisms of the police's initial response and search efforts related to a missing person case in Jeju, highlighting the need for improvements in the police's missing person investigation system.
Mi-ran Jang, who went missing after leaving her home in Hallim-eup on the night of May 12, has been unaccounted for for over three months.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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