"The Son Jeongmin Case Is Different from a Typical Missing Person Case"

Friend's behavior differs from other missing cases
Appearance during recovery of Jeongmin's body is important

A doctor's gown commemorating university student Son Jeong-min, who went missing near Seoul Hangang Park and was found dead, is placed nearby. Photo by Lee Jung-yoon leejuyoo@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] Experts diagnose that the circumstances and investigation process of the case involving university student Son Jeong-min (22), who went missing and was found dead at Seoul Hangang Park, differ from typical missing person cases.

Lee Geon-su, a professor in the Department of Police Science at Baekseok University and former head of the Missing Persons Investigation Team at the National Police Agency for four years since 2013, said, "The behavior of Mr. A, who was reportedly with Jeong-min on the day of the incident, seems far from the behavior seen in other missing person cases," adding, "If Jeong-min had fallen into the water, he would have shown signs such as shouting or contacting those around him, but his actions seem somewhat different from trying to get help and show a strong defensive posture." He continued, "Having handled numerous missing person reports, cases where someone does not report to the police or fire department but only tells their parents before searching for the missing person are very rare," and said, "This does not align with common sense in such cases."

Professor Lee also pointed out clues in the condition of Jeong-min’s body when it was recovered from the Hangang River. He said, "If he entered the water while conscious, there would be swimming motions, and the arms and legs would be bent when coming out of the water," adding, "At the initial stage, it is really important to determine whether the body showed swimming movements or was fully extended when lifted during evidence collection."

Lee Woong-hyuk, a professor in the Department of Police Science at Konkuk University, said, "Since the investigation results have not yet been released, we should not engage in witch hunts," but cautiously evaluated, "If a friend goes missing, one would actively try to help, but the stronger defensive behavior suggests that, from an average perspective, there might be some validity to the story of Son Hyun, Jeong-min’s father." Earlier, on the 29th of last month, before Jeong-min’s body was found, it was reported that Mr. A underwent a hypnosis investigation by the police, accompanied by a lawyer.

Lee Yun-ho, a professor in the Department of Police Administration at Dongguk University, pointed out, "The biggest reason for dissatisfaction with the police in this case is the inadequacy of the initial investigation." This is because evidence disappears over time and it becomes difficult to find witnesses. However, Professor Lee added, "In missing person cases, when the missing individual is an adult, it is often viewed as a voluntary act such as running away from home." Meanwhile, on the 9th, the police summoned Mr. A and Mr. A’s father as witnesses for questioning. The investigation lasted about 10 hours to reconstruct the movements on the day of the disappearance.