Jeju Sees Growing Anxiety Over Missing Persons... Autonomous Police Deploy 1,600 Person-Days for ‘Visible Patrols’

【FINANCIAL NEWS Jeju = Reporter Jeong Yong-bok】 As anxiety over public safety in Jeju grows amid controversy surrounding the handling of recent missing-person cases, the Jeju autonomous police will deploy approximately 1,600 person-days through the Chuseok holiday to conduct intensive patrols along the Jeju Olle Trail, coastal areas, oreums and nighttime alleys. The agency will place not only field personnel but also available office-based staff in the field, operating a work system equivalent to its own emergency Level 2.
According to the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Autonomous Police Agency on the 3rd, it will conduct “special public-safety activities to improve residents’ and tourists’ perceived sense of safety” for 30 days, from August 28 through the Chuseok holiday.
The core of the special public-safety operation is “visible autonomous policing,” which increases police visibility in areas where people are scarce or where many tourists travel alone. Approximately 1,600 person-days will be deployed, expanding patrols beyond the Jeju Olle Trail, coastal areas and oreums to crime-prone areas and nighttime alley businesses.
All 12 Jeju Olle Trail routes will be placed under focused management. In Jeju City, these are Routes 13, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20; in Seogwipo City, they are Routes 1, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10. The autonomous police will monitor the safety of solo hikers, provide safety guidance, and check whether nearby crime-prevention CCTV cameras and emergency bells are operating properly.
Along the coast, the agency will focus on areas where there is a risk of falls. Patrol targets include Ojo Port, Hado Breakwater, the Yongsu-ri Coast, Hwangwoochi Beach, Beophwan Port and the Ilgwa-ri Fishing Village Association area. Patrols will also be expanded around popular tourist destinations such as Yongnuni Oreum, Baekyaki Oreum, Abu Oreum, Darangswi Oreum and Jeoji Oreum.
The Jeju Olle Trail, oreums and coast are representative outdoor spaces for tourism in Jeju Province. However, some sections are sparsely populated, and locating and rescuing people can take time when accidents occur. Jeju Province’s recent plan to introduce a “safe travel support service” for solo travelers is also connected to this tourism environment.

At night, the focus will be on safety in residential and commercial areas. The autonomous police will expand walking patrols in crime-prone areas and places where residents and tourists converge, including traditional markets and alley businesses. The aim is to increase both crime deterrence and residents’ perceived sense of safety by making police personnel more visible in the field.
Another feature is that the patrol network will not rely solely on public personnel. The autonomous police will expand joint patrols with local safety organizations, including the Community Autonomous Police Corps and Senior Clubs. They also plan to cooperate with three private security companies in the province to inspect vulnerable areas at night, while recruiting a private drone patrol team to cover broad areas such as the Jeju Olle Trail.
During patrols, officials will also listen directly to residents and tourists. Reports of insufficient lighting, broken facilities and dangerous sections identified in the field will be shared with relevant departments and used to improve facilities.
Jeju Province’s recent safety measures are moving toward an integrated approach that combines expanded patrols, facility improvements and digital response systems.
At a policy question session of the Jeju Special Self-Governing Provincial Council that day, Jeju Governor Wi Seong-gon proposed operating a “safe travel support service” through which tourists visiting Jeju alone could request help in an emergency. He also presented a plan to link the service with VisitJeju, Jeju Province’s digital tourism platform. Jeju Province is also pursuing measures such as expanding artificial intelligence-based CCTV systems and extending video retention periods.
Lee Cheol-woo, head of the Daily Safety Division at the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Autonomous Police Agency, said, “Safety is also about how residents and tourists actually feel in the field.” He added, “We will gradually reduce sources of anxiety through autonomous police activities that are seen more often and come closer to the people.”


[email protected] Reporter Jeong Yong-bok Reporter