[Asia Economy Reporter Bae Kyunghwan] The prosecution has launched an investigation after suspicions arose that the initial police investigation into the case of university student Son Jeongmin (22), who went missing at Seoul Hangang Park and was found dead five days later, was inadequate.
According to the legal community on the 6th, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office assigned the complaint filed by Son's father, alleging that "the police's initial investigation was insufficient," to the Criminal Division 3 (Chief Prosecutor Heo Inseok).
Earlier, on the 4th, Son's father told reporters at the funeral hall of Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, "There is a fear that the suspect will not be prosecuted because no evidence has emerged, so I am requesting that the investigation be thorough." The prosecution plans to comprehensively review the complaint, the police investigation status, and the complainant's position.
Son, a first-year student in the medical school at Chung-Ang University, went missing after drinking with his friend A near the water taxi dock at Banpo Hangang Park from around 11 p.m. on the 24th of last month until 2 a.m. the next day. Son was found dead underwater in the Hangang River five days later, on the 30th.
It is reported that at around 3:30 a.m. on the 25th, A spoke with his parents, saying that Son was drunk and asleep but could not be woken up. Afterwards, A fell asleep again, woke up an hour later, and thinking Son had already left, packed his laptop and phone and headed home.
Meanwhile, the police are focusing their investigative efforts on determining the cause and circumstances of Son's death. The Seoul Seocho Police Station has secured CCTV footage near Hangang Park on the day of Son's disappearance, along with black box videos from vehicles parked nearby, as well as the friend's mobile phone.
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