Hong Seok-gi, head of the National Office of Investigation (NOI), said on the 31st that in the case of the missing woman in her 30s in Jeju, "the cause of death was confirmed as unknown due to body decomposition."

At a regular press briefing that day, Deputy Minister Hong said, "We are investigating with all possibilities open."

After finishing his greeting ahead of a specialized training session for investigators dedicated to illegal private financing at the Korean National Police Agency in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 12th, Hong Seok-gi, head of the National Office of Investigation (NOI), heads to his seat. /Courtesy of News1

Deputy Minister Hong, addressing the controversy sparked by this case and the "Jang Yoon-gi case," said, "Not only were there deviations by some personnel, but command and oversight by managers, including myself, did not function properly," adding, "I reflect on this."

Deputy Minister Hong said, "There have been major and minor faulty investigations, and with police investigations about to stand on their own, I am well aware that the public is greatly concerned," adding, "I feel a heavy sense of responsibility."

He added, "Various control measures for police investigations will be prepared, but even before that, we will swiftly push to strengthen investigative capacity and improve organizational culture."

Using the Jeju missing-person case as a starting point, police are conducting a full review of about 310,000 missing-person cases closed over the past three years. The review is set to be completed by the end of Nov. To date, a review of more than 15,100 cases has found no major problems reported.

Deputy Minister Hong said, "We are checking in each case whether it was closed after an in-person confirmation or closed non-face-to-face," adding, "We are quickly verifying cases that were closed non-face-to-face first."

Boo Mo, a senior police officer with the Jeju Western Police Station accused of falsely closing two missing-person cases, leaves after a pre-arrest suspect hearing (warrant review) at the Jeju District Court on the 25th. /Courtesy of News1

To prevent a recurrence, police are improving the missing-person profiling system so that when a case officer requests lifting a missing status, a manager gives final approval. If it is difficult to confirm a missing person in person, officers at nearby district police units or substations will check safety, and if the person refuses to meet with police, the case will be closed only after a trustworthy person directly confirms safety with the cooperation of firefighters or Community Service Center staff.

Deputy Minister Hong said, "Even if most police stations have dedicated missing-person teams, many operate with a one-person staffing system," adding, "We are receiving support from local police and from criminal and women and youth units, but in the long term we will consult with relevant agencies on the level of staffing needed."

He continued, "Ordinary adults may also face danger, but there are limits to the measures permitted under current law," adding, "We will work to ensure that police supplement plans are reflected in related bills submitted to the National Assembly."

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