New law could let police use DNA in missing adult cases

A bill proposing the use of family DNA in missing adult investigations is set to be introduced in the National Assembly. Dubbed the "Missing Adults Act," the legislation aims to address a gap in the current system, which limits DNA collection and analysis to cases involving missing children.

According to the National Police Agency, as of June 30, South Korea has 6,809 reported cases of missing adults who have yet to be located. Among them, 1,633 have been missing for 10 to 20 years, and 1,995 for over two decades.

The main hurdle in solving these cases lies in the legal framework. Current laws do not allow police to collect or use DNA from the families of missing adults. In contrast, under the Act on the Protection and Support of Missing Children, families of minors under 18 can submit DNA samples to be stored in a national database, enabling real-time comparisons for identification.


임재혁 기자 chaewani@donga.com