Fourth missing person found dead on Jeju in three days

Another dead body of a missing person has been found in Jeju, making it the fourth finding in just three days after the revelation of a rogue police officer who falsified 200 missing persons cases during 17 months while working on the island.

A man believed to be in his 70s was found dead in waters near Sinheung-ri in Jocheon-eup, Jeju City, at around 3:04 p.m. Sunday, according to the Jeju Coast Guard on Monday.

A person fishing discovered the body and reported it to emergency services. The Jeju Coast Guard, which was notified of the report, confirmed that the man had been reported missing to the Jeju Dongbu Police precinct on Saturday. The Coast Guard is investigating the exact cause and circumstances of his death.

Also on Monday, a body believed to be that of 37-year-old Jang Mi-ran, who went missing in May, was found at around 10:46 a.m. Monday, 104 days after the disappearance. The body was discovered near the accommodation where Jang had been staying long term.

The police officer handling Jang's case is suspected of falsely closing the case when the initial missing-person report was filed. Police resumed their search after Jang's family filed another report last month.

Another person who had been reported missing to police was found dead near a valley in Aewol-eup, Jeju City, at around 9:35 a.m. on Monday.

A man in his 60s who had been reported missing was also found dead in Songdang-ri, Gujwa-eup, Jeju City, on Saturday.

The missing-person report for the man was filed on July 2. Investigators, however, found that the police officer handling Jang's case had also falsely closed that case.

The man's family filed another missing-person report with police on Friday. Police launched a search after receiving the second report.

BY HAN YOUNG-HYE [[email protected]]