Acting Police Commissioner General Kim Jongcheol Visits Jeju for First Field Engagement, Vowing to "Leave No Gaps in Missing-Person Investigations"

[Financial News] Kim Jongcheol, the newly appointed Acting Commissioner General of the Korean National Police Agency, visited Jeju Province for his first field engagement since taking office. He personally inspected the police's inadequate response to a series of missing-person cases and signaled an overhaul of the entire missing-person investigation system.
After receiving a briefing on current issues at the Jeju Provincial Police Agency on the afternoon of the 3rd, Kim held a press conference and explained, "I came to Jeju Province for my first field visit to examine on site the heavy responsibility I feel for failing to protect the lives and safety of the public and to devise effective measures."
Immediately after arriving in Jeju Province, Kim visited the funeral home of a man in his 60s who was found dead after his missing-person report had been improperly closed as false, and offered condolences to his family. He then visited the site in Hallim-eup, Jeju City, where the body of Jang Mi-ran, a woman in her 30s who had gone missing, was found.
Kim said, "I sincerely apologized to the bereaved family," adding, "I promised that I would set the police right and ensure that this never happens again." In response, the family told Kim, "Thank you for coming. Please look into things carefully so that nothing like this happens again," conveying that message to him.
Kim instructed Kim Byeong-chan, the newly appointed Commissioner of the Jeju Provincial Police Agency, to pay particular attention to public safety. He said, "I instructed him to take special care of public safety so that residents and tourists visiting Jeju do not feel excessively burdened by this incident and can go about their livelihoods in peace."
Regarding the investigation into Jang's case, Kim said, "The investigation is ongoing, and as you know, we were notified that the cause of death was undetermined due to advanced decomposition." He added, "We are investigating with every possibility left open." He continued, "Once the investigation produces results, I will disclose them fully and without alteration to the public and the media."
Kim also announced an overhaul of the entire response system for missing-person cases. He said, "I have ordered overhaul measures as my first directive as acting commissioner general," promising, "I will carefully examine every step and process—from the receipt of a missing-person report through the search, investigation and closure—to ensure there is not the slightest gap."
Kim is scheduled to chair a meeting on measures to overhaul missing-person investigations on the 4th. He emphasized, "I will examine every detail meticulously to ensure that nothing like this happens again."
Kim also expressed concern that public trust in the police had reached a critical point. He said, "As I mentioned at the senior command meeting this morning, I believe the current situation has brought public trust in our police to a critical point because of our negligence." He added, "I will not simply say, 'We will do better, please trust us.'" He continued, "I will be judged by our actions and concrete results. Please watch us."
[email protected] Kim Ye-ji Reporter