Police to require supervisor approval to close missing persons cases

The Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) has begun making system upgrades to require the approval of a supervisor in order to close a missing persons case, officials said Friday, following allegations that an officer mishandled such a case on Jeju Island.

Under the current missing persons electronic system, police officers who receive reports are able to independently close cases at their own discretion.

To prevent the improper or unjustified closure of cases, the KNPA has begun reforming the system so that when the officer in charge asks to close a missing person case, a supervisor will be required to verify the reason and entered information before granting approval.

The proposed reform comes after a police officer allegedly failed to adequately confirm the safety of a missing person on Jeju prior to closing the case. The missing woman, Jang Mi-ran, has been missing since an initial report was filed in May.

"The need for improvement has been further highlighted by this recent missing person case on Jeju, prompting us to expedite the overhaul," a police official said.

The police aim to complete the system overhaul within a month.

Yonhap