Police and Volunteers Search Phone of Friend of 'Hangang Deceased University Student'

Son Jeongmin's Father: "We Will Wait Until the Cause Is Determined... Please Don't Overlook Anything"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] Police investigating the cause of death of university student Son Jeong-min (22), who went missing at Banpo Hangang Park and was later found dead, are conducting a search on the 8th to find the phone of Son’s friend.

Police officers from the Seocho Police Station in Seoul began searching around 11 a.m. near the water taxi dock at Banpo Hangang Park for the phone of Son’s friend, Mr. A, who had been drinking with Son at the park. A Seocho Police official said, "We are looking for the phone and other belongings," adding, "We are keeping all possibilities open during the search."

The Hangang Rescue Team conducted an underwater search near the water taxi dock where Son was found, and volunteers assisting in uncovering the cause of Jeong-min’s death also searched the park’s bushes for Mr. A’s phone. However, the volunteers did not find any significant items.

Son Hyun (50), Jeong-min’s father, appeared on YTN the previous day and expressed doubts about the CCTV footage showing Mr. A’s shoes being discarded. He said, "It is confusing because the content differs from what I heard," raising questions. Regarding reports that the person who discarded Mr. A’s shoes was not Mr. A’s mother but another family member, Son said, "The person who discarded them was not that person," and added, "Since the testimony and the footage do not match, I think something is strange."

In an interview with Chosun Ilbo, Son said, "I am 99% sure my son was not alone." He also mentioned, "In the last video Jeong-min took with his friend, there is a conversation saying, ‘Golden Gun, it’s your fault,’ and ‘That’s right.’ I am curious about what ‘Golden’ refers to."

On Parents’ Day, citizens gathered near the water taxi dock at Banpo Hangang Park to comfort Mr. Son on behalf of his son Jeong-min. This gathering was organized under the leadership of private rescuer Cha Jong-wook (54), who was the first to discover Jeong-min’s body.

Cha, who said on his YouTube channel the day before, "Tomorrow is Parents’ Day. Jeong-min was supposed to give a gift to his father but couldn’t. So I will give the gift on his behalf," also presented a gift to Son Hyun.

Son Hyun knelt facing the Han River in silent prayer, looked at chrysanthemums placed by citizens on a nearby bench, and took photos with his phone. He also gazed at post-it notes with messages commemorating Jeong-min for a while. Receiving letters, gifts, and carnations from citizens, Son choked up and said, "I will cherish them well."

After the event, Son told reporters, "Over the past 10 days, Jeong-min has received overwhelming attention and love. I am grateful that people have cared about our family’s misfortune and mourned as if it were their own." He added, "The best way to repay this is to thoroughly uncover the cause of Jeong-min’s drowning." He further said, "I am willing to wait one or two years until the cause is determined, so I hope nothing is overlooked and the truth is revealed."