'Friend of "Han River Missing University Student" Says "On the Day of Disappearance, Family Went to Han River to Wake Son"'

First Statement from Friend of 'Han River Missing University Student' on 17th
Friend A and Parents Visit Hangang Park on Day of Disappearance
"To Wake Son Son Who Was Sleeping"
"Worried A Returning Alone Might Seem Irresponsible"

On the 16th, when rain fell nationwide, participants at the "Peace Rally for the Late Son Jeong-min" held near the water taxi dock at Banpo Hangang Park in Seoul urged for a thorough investigation of the incident while holding umbrellas. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] Regarding the case of university student Son Jeong-min (22), who went missing and was found dead at Seoul Hangang Park, friend A, who was with him, explained in a statement that A's family visited Hangang Park on the day of the disappearance "to wake Son, who might still have been sleeping."

On the 17th, A's side, through their lawyer, stated, "At the time of returning home, A was heavily intoxicated and had difficulty communicating. When asked about Son's whereabouts, A kept answering 'I don't know' due to being drunk, so it was judged that the friend might still be sleeping at Hangang Park," adding, "We decided to go directly to Hangang Park to wake the deceased who might be asleep."

A's side explained the reason for going to Hangang Park directly, saying, "There was concern that A might be seen as irresponsible for leaving the deceased alone and returning alone after being with him," and "There were also worries about causing too much alarm by calling early in the morning over something trivial, and whether it would be a major breach of etiquette."

A, along with other family members, returned to Hangang Park around 5:10 a.m. on the day of the disappearance, April 25. According to the CCTV footage released to the media at that time, A and the family did not find Son. Son was found dead underwater near the Jamsu Bridge in Banpo Hangang Park around 4 p.m. on April 30, five days after the disappearance.

Regarding the meaning of the conversation "Let's let Golden Gun slide," mentioned in a video stored on Son's phone, they said, "(Regarding the video mentioning Golden) A does not remember clearly," but added, "Usually, A and the deceased liked music in the genre performed by singer Golden and often talked about related singers. They also discussed Golden leaving his agency, so it is judged to be about singer Golden." Regarding rumors that the term 'Golden' is slang widely known in the major fields of the deceased and A, they stated it was "news to us."

Regarding the delay in paying respects, A's side said, "Although we strongly wished to pay respects to the deceased, after consultation between A's father and our law firm, we thought it appropriate to visit at a time with fewer reporters and mourners to properly commemorate and grieve as A wished, so we decided to visit late at night." They continued, "A's weakened mother also wanted to attend, so A's father and mother accompanied her. Since it was too late for a lawyer to accompany A, A's uncle went along. However, not knowing that the funeral hall closes at midnight, they arrived near the end of the funeral."