South Korea’s Jeju rocked by four body discoveries in three days
The picturesque landscapes of Jeju Island have become the backdrop for a macabre mystery. Over a harrowing 72-hour period between 22 August and 24 August, authorities unearthed four bodies across the island. The grim discoveries scattered across a dense forest, a rocky valley and coastal waters have ripped the lid off a sprawling police misconduct scandal involving fabricated missing-person reports.
While investigators have found no definitive evidence linking the deaths to a serial killer or an organised crime syndicate, the timing points to a chilling administrative failure. At least two of the deceased were victims of a rogue police officer who allegedly closed their cases prematurely by logging fake updates into official law enforcement databases.
A trail of unverified disappearances
The cascade of bodies began on 22 August, triggering a frantic search that yielded a sequence of grim results over the following days:
- 22 August: A man in his 60s, reported missing in early July, was discovered dead in a Gujwa-eup forest. His family had filed a second report a day earlier after learning his original case was dismissed without a proper search.
- 23 August: A fisherman pulled the body of an elderly man from the sea near Jocheon-eup.
- 24 August (Morning): Police combing an Aewol-eup valley for an unrelated missing person stumbled upon a third corpse.
- 24 August (Mid-morning): Less than 90 minutes later, searchers found the severely decomposed remains of 37-year-old Jang Mi-ran in a Hallim-eup palm farm, just 400 metres from her last known residence.
Allegations of police misconduct
Jang’s case sits at the heart of the unfolding scandal. After she vanished in mid-May, a lone night-shift officer identified by his surname, Bu, abruptly closed the investigation. He falsely recorded that he had spoken to Jang and confirmed her safety. Operating primarily during unsupervised night shifts, Bu processed 298 missing-person reports between March 2025 and August 2026 before his removal over a separate sexual offence allegation.
Detectives now fear he unilaterally abandoned more than a dozen vulnerable individuals without ever verifying their survival. Forensic teams are currently piecing together Jang’s final days using dental records and DNA testing, trying to determine if external trauma contributed to her death before she was left in the palm farm.
The scandal has triggered panic far beyond the island. Arrest warrants have been issued for Bu on charges of dereliction of duty and falsifying electronic records. Meanwhile, four senior commanders at Jeju Seobu Police Station have been suspended. Acting National Police Commissioner Yoo Jae-seong has mandated immediate systemic overhauls, requiring supervisory sign-off before missing-person files can be closed, as authorities scramble to audit investigations across the country.
