On the 30th of last month, rescue workers recovered the body of university student Son Jeong-min, who was found dead after being missing for six days, in the Han River near Banpo Hangang Park in Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] Various rumors are spreading about friend A, who drank with the late university student Son Jeong-min (22), who went missing and was found dead at Seoul Hangang Park, as well as about A’s family, regarding the circumstances of Son’s death. Recently, a place presumed to be friend A’s father’s private hospital was targeted with a star-rating attack. This has led to criticism from some quarters calling it an "excessive attack."
On the 8th, an online community revealed a place presumed to be friend A’s father’s hospital. Netizens gave the hospital a one-star rating and left harsh reviews.
Although the police are currently investigating A as a witness, various rumors are circulating online, suspecting A and his family as criminals. In particular, speculative posts continue to suggest that the case is being covered up because of A’s wealthy family background.
After Son’s body was found on the 30th of last month, rumors began circulating online about A, a medical school classmate from Chung-Ang University who drank with Son at Hangang.
First, there was a claim that A’s father was a lawyer at a large law firm. Son’s father clarified, saying, "He is not a lawyer." Then, rumors spread that A’s father or maternal uncle was a former chief of the Seoul Gangnam Police Station, but this was also untrue.
On the 4th, Gangnam Severance Hospital shared its position regarding the 'Hangang Medical Student Death Incident' through Facebook. [Photo by Facebook capture]
On the 4th, a rumor spread that A’s father was a professor at Gangnam Severance Hospital. In response, Gangnam Severance Hospital posted an official notice on their Facebook page stating, "This is groundless," and clarified, "The rumors mentioning specific medical staff at Gangnam Severance Hospital online are false and unrelated to any family members of our hospital staff."
Some netizens responded with comments such as, "The situation is going too extreme," "People are being targeted without certainty," and "I will remain neutral until the autopsy results come out."
Additionally, on the online community Blind, a netizen presumed to be a police officer expressed frustration over conspiracy theories.
The writer, who identified as a member of the police agency, said, "Investigations are confidential by principle," and "Just because it’s in the media, do we have to report every investigation progress?" He also appealed, "I understand people’s interest since it involves a person, but please stop spreading baseless conspiracy theories about an unresolved case."
Regarding criticism of the police’s initial investigation in the Son case, he said, "Isn’t the end of this case inevitably criticism of the police?" He added, "The deceased’s father is a bereaved family member and understandably frustrated, so he speaks to the media and distrusts the investigation, which is understandable, but why are others doing this? Whether you trust the police or not, can’t uninvolved people just wait?"
Other netizens who saw the post commented, "It’s because people don’t trust the police," and "The police should reveal the truth."
On the 3rd, a post requesting a thorough investigation into the death of the medical student who went missing in the Han River was uploaded on the Blue House National Petition Board, and as of the 8th, it has gained approximately 380,000 supporters. [Photo by Blue House National Petition Board capture]
The police are currently conducting a detailed analysis of footage from 54 park CCTV cameras covering the time Son went missing, and have also secured black box footage from 133 vehicles that entered and exited the area during the same period, keeping all possibilities open in their investigation.
Son Jeong-min went missing after drinking with friend A near the water taxi dock at Banpo Hangang Park from around 11 p.m. on the 24th of last month until about 2 a.m. the next day. He was found dead underwater in the Hangang River five days later, on the 30th.
Friend A woke up alone around 4:30 a.m. on the 25th, the day Son went missing, and returned home by himself. He told the police that when he woke up, Son was not nearby, so he thought Son had gone home earlier.
Meanwhile, a petition posted on the Blue House website on the 3rd, asking for the cause of Son’s death to be clarified to clear any injustice, had gathered about 380,000 signatures as of the 8th.
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