ED Jeju death raises troubling questions about police
Forensic experts and police investigate the site where a 37-year-old woman named Jang Mi-ran was found dead, Monday, on Jeju Island in the scenic area of Hallim. Yonhap
Police must work hard to earn back public trust
The death of a 37-year-old woman on Jeju Island has raised a disturbing question: Can we trust the police?
The police are facing a crisis of credibility. Public distrust of uniformed officers has reached a new high as a series of cases have cast doubt on the police’s ability — and, at times, willingness — to investigate crimes properly.
A woman named Jang Mi-ran was found dead Monday at a remote palm tree farm in Hallim, a scenic area on Jeju Island, 104 days after she went missing. Her body was discovered near the lodge where she had stayed with her boyfriend. She left the lodge on the night of May 12, and her boyfriend reported her missing three days later when she failed to return.
Hours later, he reportedly received a phone call from a police officer known only by his surname, Bu, who told him that his girlfriend had been found but had asked the police not to disclose her location to him. The case was then closed.
Jang’s boyfriend and family members contacted the police again in July after repeated attempts to reach her failed. The police subsequently launched an investigation. She was found dead a day after the police began a massive search effort.
It was later revealed that Bu had made a false statement about Jang. According to police, there had been no phone contact between Bu and the missing woman. The officer was arrested and is being investigated on several charges, including dereliction of duty. His misconduct has drawn widespread public outrage.
The case exposed critical flaws in the police’s initial response to missing person reports. Bu, a senior policye officer, was authorized to close the case after falsely telling Jang’s boyfriend that she had been found. He had been in charge of the unit handling missing person cases for a year and had closed nearly 300 cases.
It remains unclear why he lied about his alleged communication with Jang. But one thing is certain: His decision to close the case prevented other police officers from launching a proper investigation into her disappearance.
In a missing person case, the first 24 to 48 hours are critical, as digital footprints and other critical evidence are often most accessible during that period.
According to police, several CCTV cameras were installed around the area, but their footage was overwritten roughly every month. Bu’s misconduct meant that the crucial window for finding Jang — and potentially saving her life — was lost.
His personal misconduct is taking a heavy toll on the entire police organization. Fellow officers, as well as the leadership of the nation’s police agency, are now suffering the consequences. The police are being accused of acting as an irresponsible and incompetent law enforcement agency that cares too little about people’s safety and lives.
The tragedy came shortly after the Gwangju murder case, in which several police officers allegedly colluded to cover up the brutal killing of a high school student by a man in his 20s, who was the son of a police officer. That case also deepened public distrust of the police.
On Oct. 2, an amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act is scheduled to take effect. Under the revised law, police will have greater authority over criminal investigations, while prosecutors will lose some of their supervisory powers. A series of recent cases involving police misconduct — and the consequences for public safety — have made citizens deeply concerned about the future of law enforcement, particularly after the amendment takes effect.
President Lee Jae Myung expressed worries about the police for lax discipline and their consequences on public safety. During a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, he directed the prime minister to draw up measures to reform the police.
The police themselves are responsible for much of this growing concern.
After Jang was found dead, a senior police official told reporters that her death did not appear to be related to murder and hinted that she may have died by suicide. He made the remarks shortly after her body was discovered, before an autopsy had been conducted.
The comments were reckless. Without forensic evidence, he — and seemingly the police — appeared to have concluded that there was no foul play. After the remarks caused a public backlash, police said the position of the body and the location where it was found had led them to believe that suicide was more likely.
Such unscientific reasoning will do nothing to restore public trust.
The police are facing a crisis of credibility. Trust is not built on rhetoric.
They can earn back citizens’ trust only by investigating cases thoroughly and disclosing the results transparently. They must not conceal or cover up wrongdoing. Above all, they must acknowledge mistakes honestly and hold those responsible accountable.
Honesty is the best policy for rebuilding trust.