Following a series of recent missing persons and death cases in Jeju, unverified claims continue to spread rapidly online.

A video titled "The Real Security Situation in Jeju, According to a Jeju Resident" was uploaded to a YouTube channel with around 70,000 subscribers.

In the video, the YouTuber shared a story from an acquaintance, saying, "After drinking late at night, they took a taxi and fell asleep. When they woke up after some time, they found themselves in a reed field." The YouTuber added, "The car was parked, the taxi driver was outside talking to someone on the phone, and when they looked around, nothing but reeds were visible."

The YouTuber stated that the woman got out from the back seat, pushed through the reed field and fled while the driver was on the phone, and later reported the incident to the police.

The video also mentioned an incident that allegedly took place at a public restroom near Jeju City Hall.

"A man suddenly jumped out from the next stall in a women's public restroom near Jeju City Hall and tried to strangle a woman with a smartphone charging cable. When the woman screamed, a young man from the men's restroom rushed in, and the suspect was caught," the video claimed.

The YouTuber explained, "Since then, safety restroom lights and emergency bells have been installed outside the city hall public restroom."

Furthermore, the YouTuber claimed that the visa-free entry system for tourists visiting Jeju without a Korean visa is being exploited for crimes, citing examples such as a gang of foreigners robbing a jewelry store and leaving the country on the first flight out at dawn.

While anxiety over public safety in Jeju appears to be spreading, voices of concern are also rising as unverified rumors continue to circulate.

Experts point out that while comprehensive safety inspections and strengthened security are necessary across the Jeju region, sensational tips being reproduced online could foster unnecessary fear and conflict among local residents and tourists.

Amid growing controversies over the police's handling of the successive missing persons cases combined with various ghost stories spreading online, the Jeju Provincial Government is pushing for comprehensive tourism safety measures in cooperation with the Jeju Tourism Association as a follow-up to the "Safe Jeju" countermeasures announced on August 27.

(Produced by Lee Hyeon-yeong | Video by IYOO | Graphics by Yook Do-hyun | Produced by SBS Digital News)