Update on the late Son Jeong-min's friend... "I heard he’s living like a recluse"

Near the water taxi dock at Banpo Hangang Park in Seoul, a doctor's gown commemorating the late Son Jeong-min is placed. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hong Ja-yeon] A post updating the current status of university student Son Jeong-min (22), who went missing and was found dead at Seoul Hangang Park, and his friend A, who was with him until the end, has been posted on an online community, drawing attention.

On the 12th, a post titled "I am the person who wrote the story I heard from an acquaintance of the friend who went missing at Hangang before" was uploaded on an online community. The writer, who said they are an acquaintance of A and know him, opened by saying, "This is really awful," and added, "A is now completely broken psychologically and is living like a wreck. He is even talking about emigrating."

They continued, "People are really something. Do we have to ruin another person's life like this?" and criticized those suspecting A by saying, "Even if he is cleared of charges, it’s obvious. They will say 'he has connections,' or 'the truth hasn’t been revealed,' and it will end with an 'if not, then so be it' attitude. They even terrorize his workplace to cut off his livelihood. People are really something."

They also added, "The police said the 'golden' evidence refers to a singer, but you Conan fans say it refers to the mutilation of a donated corpse. Even if he is cleared, the reactions will be predictable," and concluded the post by saying, "You seem to write recklessly because it’s an anonymous space, but everything comes back around. Please reflect on yourselves."

The day after the post was uploaded, on the 13th, the National Forensic Service announced the autopsy results, concluding that Son’s cause of death was drowning. The National Forensic Service judged that the wounds found on Son’s head were not significant enough to consider as the cause of death.

However, there is growing demand for clarification of the cause of death and the truth, as Son’s whereabouts were unaccounted for during a "40-minute" period between 3:38 a.m. and 4:20 a.m. on the 25th of last month, when he went missing.

Son’s father, Son Hyun, said in an interview with MBC Radio’s "Pyo Chang-won’s News High Kick" on the 13th, when the autopsy results were announced, "I expected this," and added, "From the beginning, I asked the police to investigate 'how he entered the water' on the premise of drowning."

Meanwhile, amid various speculations about the circumstances of Son’s death, the police have taken measures to protect the privacy of friend A and his family, whose personal information was excessively exposed online after the disappearance.