"The officer killed her" "Was the family threatened?"... Speculation swirls around the Jang Mi-ran case, with fines of up to 70 million won

[Financial News] Unverified rumors and suspicions surrounding the case of Jang Mi-ran, 37, who went missing in Jeju Province and was later found dead, are spreading rapidly online and fueling public anxiety.

On the 25th, social networking services such as Thread and X, as well as online communities, were flooded with speculative posts about Jang's case.
Earlier, police found a body believed to be Jang's at a palm farm in Hallim-eup, Jeju City, on the 24th. It was more than 100 days after she was reported missing. As the body was discovered just a few minutes' walk from the lodging where Jang had been staying long term, speculation about possible criminal involvement spread amid a series of unanswered questions.
Some users have distorted the case into one in which Officer A, who falsely closed the missing-person report, killed her, while others claim a Chinese national was responsible. On Thread and elsewhere, posts and comments such as "Officer A looks like the culprit" and "This was murder" continue to appear.
The speculation has even reached the family. Jang's cousin reportedly posted on social media on the day the body was found, asking for a lawyer's help and saying the family was considering legal action, including a state compensation claim and both civil and criminal proceedings, before later deleting the post.
In response, some users raised suspicions that the family was under pressure, saying things like, "She said she was looking for a lawyer, but her story changed overnight," and "Was she threatened?" As rumors about the case spread, the family has asked the public to refrain from criticism and speculation.

Adding to the concern, four missing people were found dead in Jeju over the three days starting on the 22nd, including Jang and a man in his 60s identified as Mr. B, after Officer A falsely closed their reports. As these cases piled up, posts such as "I'm scared to travel to Jeju" and "No Jeju, I'm joining the boycott of Jeju Island" have continued to circulate, potentially tarnishing the region's image.
Some posts have gone further, linking the case to the influx of Chinese nationals and purchases of real estate in Jeju, and spreading conspiracy-like claims targeting a specific nationality. As posts stoking anti-foreigner sentiment unrelated to the case spread, critics say the speculation could lead to secondary harm.
Meanwhile, spreading false information online can be punishable.
Under the revised Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, which took effect in July, anyone who damages another person's reputation by revealing false information for the purpose of defamation can face up to seven years in prison or a fine of up to 70 million won. Those who intentionally spread false or manipulated information and cause damage may also be liable for punitive damages of up to five times the amount of the loss.


[email protected] Sung Min-seo Reporter