[Video] "Will Find 100%" Search Site for Missing University Student's Friend's Phone in Hangang

Police Riot Squad and Civilian Search Team 'Atom' Conduct Search Operation
Divers Enter Water to Inspect Riverbed with Metal Detectors
One Mobile Phone Found, but Different Model from Son's Friend
Search Team Plans to Resume Search on 11th

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung, PD Yoon Jingeun] The police and the civilian search team 'Atom,' investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of university student Son Jeongmin (22), who went missing after drinking at Seoul Hangang Park and was later found dead, are conducting a search operation to find the phone of Son’s friend, A. Despite bad weather, they are diving underwater to scour the riverbed and digging through bushes, putting in all-out effort.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Mobile Unit and Atom began search operations on the morning of the 10th near Banpo Hangang Park, where Son went missing. They are looking for the mobile phone (iPhone 8) of Son’s friend A, who drank with him at the time of the incident.

Three members of the volunteer deep-sea diving team MinGam were deployed along the search route from the water taxi dock area toward Hannam Bridge. Wearing diving suits, goggles, and oxygen tanks, they entered the water and conducted underwater searches by investigating the riverbed using metal detectors and thin lines.

Regarding this, Kim Cheolju, head of the diving education organization 'UTR,' which participated in the underwater search, explained the difficulties of the search: "The Hangang River is shallow, so the depth limit is not a big issue. The river depth is 3.4 meters, the water temperature is 15℃, and visibility is at best 15 cm. Currently, visibility is worse than that of the West Sea."

On the 10th, near the water taxi dock at Banpo Hangang Park in Seoul, police are moving to search the mobile phone of the late Son Jeong-min's friend.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the underwater search method, he explained, "When the detector signals, we use touch to identify the object, and if something similar to a mobile phone is found, we ascend to check the searched item."

He added, "Searching is not about doing well or poorly to detect something; the object must be there to be detected. If the phone is there, it can be detected 100%," emphasizing the certainty of detection if the phone is present.

Meanwhile, the police mobile unit deployed about 20 people near Hangang Park, probing bushes with sticks during the search. At the scene was also private rescuer Cha Jongwook, who first found Son’s body on the 30th of last month, along with the rescue dog 'O2.'

During the search, civilian divers found one mobile phone, but it was identified as a different model from A’s. The police and civilian search teams are continuing underwater searches at the same time on the 11th.

On the other hand, the police announced on the 10th that they had summoned A and A’s father as witnesses for questioning on the 9th. They also recently obtained A’s mother’s mobile phone and conducted digital forensics. The police plan to focus on reconstructing Son’s whereabouts and understanding the circumstances of the incident based on information obtained from the phones and witness statements.