On the first day of taking office, acting Commissioner General Kim Jong-chul visited Jeju, where a case of a "false closure of a missing person report" surfaced, and apologized to the missing person's bereaved family.
Kim arrived on Jeju Island on the afternoon of the 3rd and paid his respects at the wake of a man in his 60s who was found dead 51 days after the false closure of his missing person report.
Apologizing to the bereaved family, Kim said, "I will make sure to set the police straight so that this never happens again." The bereaved family expressed gratitude for the condolence visit and asked that authorities carefully ensure that cases of false closure of missing person reports do not recur, according to accounts.
Kim also stopped by a palm farm in Hallim-eup, Jeju City, where the body of a woman in her 30s, a person surnamed Jang, was found more than 100 days after the false closure of her missing person report. He then received a briefing at the Jeju Provincial Police Agency on how missing person cases have been handled and measures to prevent a recurrence.
Meeting with reporters at the Jeju Provincial Police Agency, Kim said, "As the first directive as acting commissioner general of the Korean National Police Agency, I ordered the preparation of reform measures for missing person investigations," adding, "I will preside over a meeting on the 4th to personally oversee the reform measures and carefully review each item so this does not happen again."
Regarding the case of the deceased Jang, Kim said authorities are "currently investigating with all possibilities open," adding, "When the results come out, we will disclose them to the public and the media exactly as they are, without addition or omission." He continued, "Given the current situation, we judge that public trust has reached a critical point due to police negligence," adding, "We will be judged by actions and concrete results. Please watch closely."
Kim explained that, in order to prevent Jeju residents and visiting tourists from feeling an excessive burden due to this incident, he instructed newly appointed Jeju Provincial Police Agency Commissioner Kim Byung-chan to "pay special attention to public safety so people can go about their livelihoods in peace."
The newly appointed Jeju commissioner, Kim, said, "We will meticulously improve public safety shortcomings so we can restore trust," adding, "We will do our utmost to make Jeju Island safe."