![Police conduct a forensic examination Monday after discovering what is believed to be the body of Jang Mi-ran, who went missing in May, in a cycad forest near Suwon-ri, Hallim-eup, Jeju. [Newsis]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/08/25/news-p.v1.20260825.df693b13ef78478593485952b6a5966b_P1.jpg)
Unfounded conspiracy theories are spreading online in connection with the disappearance of the late Jang Mi-ran.
According to Yonhap, numerous speculative posts related to the case have appeared on social media platforms including Threads.
The spread of criminal-involvement theories has accelerated since what is believed to be Jang's body was found at a palm farm just a five-minute walk from the lodging where she had been staying long-term, fueling a range of unanswered questions.
Some posts have gone so far as to falsely claim that Officer A — who is accused of improperly closing the missing-persons case — committed the killing, while others allege Chinese involvement and stoke public anxiety.
On Threads and other platforms, comments such as "Officer A probably killed her," "this was a homicide," and "there seems to be something wrong involving Chinese nationals and the police" continue to circulate.
There are growing concerns that the flood of speculative posts could interfere with the investigation.
A similar pattern emerged in the 2021 death of a medical student in the Han River, when conspiracy theories targeting a friend who had been with the victim before the incident disrupted the investigation — prompting police to announce a strong response against fake news.
123@heraldcorp.com
