Expert: "Hangang University Students, YouTube Prey... Autopsy Results Will Clarify Rumors"

"Once the signature is confirmed, various suspicions are likely to be resolved"
"YouTubers consider this accident as sensational prey"
"It is not desirable for the father's personal information to be exposed"

On the 11th, items commemorating the late Son Jeong-min were placed near the water taxi stop at Banpo Hangang Park in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] Amid the overheated public interest surrounding the case of Son Jeongmin (22), who was found dead after falling asleep intoxicated at Seoul Hangang Park, experts have expressed opinions that this atmosphere will calm down following the autopsy results.

On the 12th, Professor Yeom Geonryeong of the Detective Studies Department at the Graduate School of Public Administration, Catholic University, appeared on TBS Radio's "Cheerful Current Affairs with Lee Seungwon" and said, "There is currently no precise information about the cause of death," adding, "Depending on what the cause of death is, I think there will be a process to sort out various rumors."

Professor Yeom explained, "Whether this person drowned at the time of death or not is about 50% of tracking down the culprit in the investigation," and added, "If it was drowning, it is related to water, and if not, another cause of death must be found."

He continued, "Secondly, if death was due to cardiac arrest or hypothermia, that too will partially emerge during the autopsy process," and said, "If there are ten hypotheses based on the detailed autopsy results, about eight will end up being groundless, and generally, the investigation results are announced focusing on the remaining two."

On May 8, Parents' Day, the father of Son Jeong-min (22), who was found dead after falling asleep intoxicated at Seoul Hangang Park, received carnations and other gifts from citizens... / Photo by Yonhap News

Professor Yeom expressed concern about the exposure of personal information such as the educational background and occupation of Son’s father in the media. He pointed out, "The exposure of personal information is undesirable and a bad situation," and added, "From the father's perspective, he appears in the media simply as the father of his son, asking for the truth of this case to be revealed, and he has not personally made any statements."

He continued, "Some have deliberately pursued and exposed that information, and there is a tendency to dismiss it as conspiracy theories, but the father also needs to return to normal social activities, and there may be social harm he has to endure. Exposing information related to parties involved or bereaved families that are unrelated to the essence of the original case is not appropriate."

Professor Yeom analyzed that the overheated interest in this accident is due to "the increase of social networking service (SNS) channels like YouTube, where many YouTubers track crime-related mysteries or pick up such details," and "some groups have perceived this accident as their sensational prey, which has contributed to creating this atmosphere."

He added, "Because sensational or accusatory content like 'who is the culprit?' has emerged, many citizens have psychologically sympathized and become angry," and said, "Also, the father's pain, the mother's grief over losing her son, and the fact that a young man passed away before blossoming have all been sympathized with, amplifying the interest."