From romantic getaway to hotbed of crime? Rumor mill fans Jeju fears

Jeju Island, South Korea’s traditional honeymoon destination, is facing an image crisis as a police scandal over allegedly mishandled missing-person cases fuels broader fears about safety on the island.

In just three days through Monday, four people who had been reported missing on Jeju were found dead, according to police.

Authorities have not linked the deaths or found evidence of widespread foul play. But the discoveries, which followed a large-scale search prompted by revelations that a police officer had falsely closed at least two missing-person cases, have shaken public confidence and fueled anxiety online.

At the center of the scandal is the case of Jang Mi-ran, a 37-year-old woman who disappeared after leaving her home in Hallim-eup, Jeju City, sometime between late May 12 and early May 13. Nearly three months later, a body believed to be hers was discovered Monday among palm trees less than a 10-minute walk from where she stayed.

Jang’s case drew national attention after the police officer in charge allegedly closed it in May, falsely claiming that he had spoken with her.

Authorities found a man in his 60s who had been reported missing dead in Gujwa-eup on Saturday after a delayed search. His case, like Jang’s, had been falsely closed by the same police officer, news reports said.

The same day Jang’s remains were discovered, another person previously reported missing was discovered dead near a valley in Aewol-eup. The following day, a fisherman spotted the body of a man in his 70s in waters off Sinheung-ri, Jocheon-eup, and alerted emergency authorities.

The concentration of cases, and the local police’s failures surrounding some of them, has unsettled residents and visitors alike.

“Many people come to Jeju to stay for several months at a time. I’ve heard that some tenants are canceling their leases following the recent incidents.” a Jeju resident surnamed Cho, who runs a short-term rental business, wrote on Instagram.

A recent Instagram post by Hong Hye-geol, a doctor specializing in preventive medicine and a television personality who has lived on the island for seven years, read, “When I cycle around Jeju, I often come across deserted roads in villages without even venturing deep into Hallasan. Stray just a little from a trail, and you can find yourself somewhere no one would hear you scream. I wouldn’t recommend either women or men going around here alone, even in broad daylight or on paved roads.”

Some even spoke of canceling trips to the resort island.

One Threads user wrote, “I was going to take my wedding photos in Gujwa because I’d heard it was quieter and had prettier fields than central Jeju, but I canceled. With everything that’s happened recently, I don’t think I’m overreacting.”

Another user called for a boycott, writing “We shouldn’t travel to Jeju until they get to the bottom of what the police officer did in Jang’s case and someone takes responsibility for the other missing-person cases.”

Although no clear drop in tourist numbers has emerged, tourism operators are growing concerned.

Bang, 52, who has run a women-only guesthouse in Jocheon-eup for eight years, said she has been receiving frequent calls from guests concerned about safety. Just two days ago, a group of three guests canceled their reservation, though it was unclear whether the recent missing-person cases had prompted the cancellation.

“The neighborhood is well lit, with streetlights and additional lights every 20 to 30 meters. We’ve always felt safe enough to leave the front gate unlocked while guests hang out in the common area before bed,” Bang told The Korea Herald.

“Catering exclusively to women used to be what set us apart, but now it seems to be making guests even more nervous. The police and local authorities need to step in before the baseless crime-related rumors surrounding the island create even more unnecessary fear.”

Tourism businesses in Jeju are particularly on edge as the island is already grappling with a decline in domestic visitors.

According to the Jeju Tourism Organization, 963,401 domestic travelers visited the island in July, down 12.4 percent, or 136,620, from 1,100,021 a year earlier. It marked the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020 that Jeju’s monthly domestic visitor count fell below 1 million.

The downward trend continued into August. From Aug. 1-23, Jeju received an average of 35,295 domestic visitors per day, about 300 fewer than the 35,575 recorded during the same period last year.

According to data from the Korean National Police Agency, the island recorded the country’s highest crime rate in 2024, at 4,539.6 crimes per 100,000 people. The rate is calculated based on Jeju’s resident population of around 663,000, while the island receives millions of visitors each year.