When will the National Police Agency finish the missing person case review?

The National Police Agency said the review is scheduled to be completed by November. It will focus on cases considered especially vulnerable to improper closure and check whether the missing persons are safe.

What will happen if police find a missing person case was closed improperly?

The NPA will immediately reopen the investigation and report the findings to the relevant regional authorities. Local provincial and metropolitan police agencies will also keep reviewing closed cases each week and order reinvestigations when necessary.

Police to reexamine 310,000 missing person cases closed in past 3 years

Q: Why is South Korea police reexamining 310,000 missing person cases?

The review was triggered by controversy over a Jeju missing person case in which a police officer closed a report in May without confirming the woman’s safety. After that case drew scrutiny, police decided to inspect older closures for possible improper handling.

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Summary

Police in South Korea plan to reexamine about 310,000 missing person cases closed over the past three years following controversy over a Jeju case. The National Police Agency aims to finish the review by November and will reopen cases found to have been handled improperly. Provincial and metropolitan police agencies will also review closed cases weekly and order reinvestigations when needed. The move follows a case in which a police officer closed a missing person report in May without confirming the woman’s safety.

Key Facts

The National Police Agency plans to complete the review by November.
About 310,000 missing person cases closed over the past three years will be reexamined.
Provincial and metropolitan police agencies will review cases closed by police stations in their jurisdictions every week.
If improper handling is found, the NPA will immediately reopen the investigations and report the findings to relevant regional authorities.

By Yonhap

Published Aug 26, 2026 8:30 pm KST

The National Police Agency in Seodaemun District, Seoul, Aug. 4. Yonhap

Police plan to conduct a comprehensive review of about 310,000 missing person cases closed over the past three years following controversies surrounding a missing person case on the southern island of Jeju.

The National Police Agency (NPA) is preparing a set of measures aimed at overhauling its missing person investigation system, with the review scheduled to be completed by November, officials said.

The agency will identity cases considered particularly vulnerable to improper closure and recheck whether the missing persons are safe and whether the cases were handled appropriately.

If the review uncovers cases suspected of having been handled improperly or inadequately, the NPA will immediately reopen the investigations and report the findings to relevant regional authorities.

Provincial and metropolitan police agencies will also review cases closed by police stations in their jurisdictions every week and order reinvestigations when necessary.

The move comes after a police officer was found to have closed a missing person case in May without confirming the woman's safety. Her body was found Monday after police launched an intensive search for her last week.

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