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The police and the Jeju Coast Guard said that, at 3:00 a.m. on Aug. 23, an angler found the body of a man in his 70s, identified only as A, floating near the island’s eastern coast and reported it to the 119 emergency service.

A had been reported missing to the East Jeju Police Station on Aug. 22.

The police are investigating the cause of death and the circumstances leading to it.

At 10:45 p.m. on Aug. 24, a body suspected to be that of 37-year-old Jang Mi-ran, who went missing in May, was found at a palm farm near her residence.

Upon receiving the initial report in May, the officer in charge had closed the case file in violation of standard procedure.

The police only resumed the search after her family made further complaints last month.

Earlier, at 9:35 p.m. on Aug. 24, another missing person previously reported to the police was found dead near a valley in Aewol-eup, west of Jeju.

On Aug. 22, the body of a man in his 60s was discovered in northeastern Jeju.

He had been reported missing on July 2, but his case file was also prematurely closed.

His family submitted another report last week.

The Korean National Police Agency has launched an investigation into procedural misconduct in missing persons cases in Jeju.

According to SBS Newsthe officer involved had handled 298 reports in his career.

This officer served in the missing persons unit at the West Jeju Police Station for 17 months before being suspended from duty on Aug. 11.

Out of some 70,000 adult missing person complaints received by the South Korean police last year, 99.7% were closed without major search operations.

Only 0.3% of cases remain unclosed with the individuals still listed as missing, raising growing doubts over whether the police are handling cases according to proper procedures.

Trip cancellations

The discovery of four bodies on Jeju Island has sparked public concern, leading many tourists to cancel their trips.

Kang, 29, who usually spends her autumn vacations in Jeju, decided to cancel all her plans this year and stay in Seoul.

“I usually travel solo to relax, but after these recent incidents, I feel that traveling alone to Jeju as a woman is no longer safe,” she told Chosun Daily.

On social media, heated debates over whether people should still visit Jeju are attracting thousands of views.

One handle said: “I have booked tickets to Jeju for October but am now reconsidering. I am not sure if even the city center is safe.”

Another user said their family is considering paying cancellation penalties because their children are fearful.

The series of deaths involving missing persons has sparked lots of rumors, directly affecting tourism businesses in Jeju.

The owner of a homestay in Hallim-eup told Chosun Daily that the area typically has good security and well-lit streets.

“We frequently get solo travelers, so it is deeply unfortunate that the entire community is being negatively impacted.”

Nearby accommodation owners have also received lots of calls inquiring about the security situation.

These incidents come at a time when Jeju’s tourism industry is experiencing a downturn.

According to the Jeju Tourism Organization, the island received over 963,000 domestic visitors in July, a 12% decrease year-on-year, marking the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic that monthly arrivals dropped below one million.

In August, daily visitor numbers have averaged around 35,200, lower than in the same period last year.

The growing public anxiety is expected to place further pressure on the island’s economic recovery this year.