Interior ministry orders probe into Jeju missing person case

The interior ministry on Wednesday ordered a comprehensive investigation into the recent missing person case in Jeju, directing police to overhaul their operational framework. Minister Yoon Ho-joong convened an emergency meeting with the police command structure to address growing public unease.

Yoon instructed authorities to conduct a rigorous fact-finding mission regarding the Jeju incident while reviewing the national system for handling missing persons. He mandated that every police station inspect long-term missing case files, warning that any revealed misconduct would face strict accountability.

The minister emphasized that recent scandals involving police corruption and lax discipline have caused significant social anxiety shortly after similar incidents in Gwangju. He apologized to the public and promised decisive measures to prevent recurrence, stating that loopholes in institutional design must be eliminated so cover-ups cannot take root.

During the session, the National Police Agency presented reform plans including improvements to missing person investigation teams and recruitment processes. Officials also reported on initiatives to strengthen investigative fairness through the National Police Commission and the establishment of dedicated bodies for human rights and inspection inquiries.

Yoon noted that public anxiety over the Jeju case and declining confidence in the police have reached dangerous levels. "The countermeasures reported today and the directives issued must be realized quickly," he said, stressing the need for high-intensity reforms ahead of the new criminal justice system launching in October.

Acting Police Chief Yoo Jae-sung and all bureau directors attended the gathering. The police agency plans to accelerate the reported countermeasures while explaining the need for legal and institutional revisions to the National Assembly.