Why Can`t They Find Missing People?

Investigation on Missing Cases—

With continuing homicide cases happened in early this year including the elementary student in Bucheon and the middle school girl in Pocheon, the police had announced reinforcement plans for early stage investigation on missing cases in February.

According to the plan, if there is a missing child report, △ the regional jurisdiction squad, the criminal offense team from the police station, the female and the children`s section team, and the 112 strike force will commence spot inspections immediately △ they will hold a joint committee headed by the section chief of the criminal offense within 24 hours △ they will set out investigations immediately upon finding criminal allegations such as kidnapping.

They intend to strengthen the early investigations while assuming the worst situation, but the working-level police officers are responding coldly, saying, "It is just a policy that ignores the manpower and the efficiency of the job." In reality, there are hardly any cases in which they set out investigations upon receiving the missing report.

"In particular, if it is an adult missing, due to the shortness of our staff, it is difficult to start an investigation right away if it lacks direct evidence to be related to a criminal act," said a police officer.

There Has to Be a Squad to Exclusively Deal with Missing Cases—

Professionals say, "The serial murder cases could have been resolved in advance if the missing cases were treated in a proper manner," adding, "A joint effort has to be made among different police stations regarding missing cases, and a squad to exclusively deal with missing cases has to be established."

Professor of Criminal Psychology Lee Sang-hyun pointed out, "Cooperative work between different police stations is very important, especially for missing and runaway cases, but there is hardly any cooperative investigation because of the atmosphere in which they emphasize the roundup results of the felonies."

Na Joo-bong, head of "Citizens` Organization to Find Missing Children Nationwide," said, "Missing case investigation that is initiated only when it becomes a major case is showing its limits," and added, "We need a separate organization where they will exclusively deal with missing cases."

Examples Abroad—

Professor of Criminology of the Korean National Police University Lee Woong-hyuk said, "Information sharing between police stations is well-functioning in the U.S. through a criminal information system," adding, "It can be easily found out through this system if there are continuing reports of missing cases in a specific area or of women in a specific industry."

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) enables officers to track down investigation records and analyze a case comprehensively when they type in the criminal methods, the time, and the report information through a criminal analysis computer program.

Experts point out that cooperation from citizens is as important as the database management of missing and runaway cases and that we have to learn it from advanced countries such as the U.S. and Japan.

Professor Pyo Chang-won of the Korean National Police University said, "If a case gets prolonged abroad, gatherings and committees to find people that are missing or on a runaway are formed, and they are composed of civilians with expertise beside police and demonstrate continuing efforts on the case."

Yi-Young Cho Soo-Jung Shin lycho@donga.com crystal@donga.com