"Please Provide Tips" 'Hangang Missing University Student' Case, 'GeuAl' Takes Action

On the 5th, the production team of SBS's "Unanswered Questions" posted a tip. Photo by SBS "Unanswered Questions" Twitter capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Choyoung] The case of university student Son Jeongmin (22), who went missing at Banpo Hangang Park in Seoul and was found dead after six days, has drawn the attention of the so-called 'Geu-al.' 'Geu-al' is a shortened name for the investigative documentary program "Geugeot-i Algo Sipda" ("I Want to Know That"), and netizens have urged 'Geu-al' to step in and solve this case, which could otherwise become a mystery.

On the 5th, the 'Geu-al' production team posted on social media (SNS) a message saying, "We are waiting for contact from anyone who witnessed the late Mr. Son at Banpo Hangang Park between 3:00 AM and 5:30 AM on April 25th."

Additionally, the MBC program "Silhwa Tamsadae" ("True Story Exploration Team") also posted a message titled "Looking for Witnesses to the Late Son Jeongmin Case" on internet communities such as Bobae Dream, stating, "If you saw the late Son Jeongmin and his group at Banpo Hangang Park between 1:00 AM and 5:00 AM on April 25th, or if you know someone who did, or if you are a friend or acquaintance of the late Son Jeongmin, please contact the True Story Exploration Team production staff at any time."

MBC 'True Story Exploration Team' production crew's tip posted on BobaeDream. Photo by BobaeDream capture

Son, a first-year student at a medical college in Seoul, went missing after drinking with his friend A at Banpo Hangang Park on the night of April 24-25 and was found dead underwater in the Han River six days later.

Friend A woke up alone around 4:30 AM on the 25th, the day Son went missing, and went home alone. It is known that he said he thought Son had gone home earlier because Son was not around when he woke up.

A returned home carrying Son's cellphone, not his own, and it is presumed that his own cellphone was with Son. A's cellphone last connected to a base station in Seobinggo-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, before disappearing.

A petition titled "Please clear the injustice of the late Mr. Son, the missing university student from the Han River," was posted on the Blue House National Petition Board on the 3rd. Photo by Blue House National Petition Board

Meanwhile, on the 4th, a private search team that found Son's body discovered a red iPhone near the accident site, but investigation confirmed it was not A's phone.

On the 5th, the search team reportedly secured another iPhone based on a citizen's tip. Kim Youngho, team leader of the search team 'Atom,' told Herald Economy in a phone interview that "At around 5:30 PM today (the 5th), a young couple handed over an iPhone they found near the Han River to Atom," adding, "This phone is scheduled to be delivered to Jeongmin's father tomorrow (the 6th)."

Son's father, Son Hyun, submitted a petition to the prosecution on the same day requesting "supplementary instructions regarding the police's inadequate initial investigation." He declined to disclose specific details of the petition but said, "I am afraid evidence might be lost, so I hope measures such as a search and seizure will be taken as soon as possible."

Earlier, on the 3rd, a petition titled "Please clear the injustice of the late university student Son who went missing at the Han River" was posted on the Blue House's National Petition Board. The petition quickly gained significant attention, surpassing the 200,000 signature threshold required for an official response within two days, with over 330,000 people agreeing.

On the morning of the 5th, a farewell ceremony and funeral were held for Son at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Son was cremated at Seoul Memorial Park and his ashes were enshrined at a columbarium in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.