Police Analyze 54 Nearby CCTVs and 133 Black Boxes in 'Hangang University Student Disappearance' Case (Comprehensive)

"Six Witnesses Among Nearby Bystanders Questioned"
Friend A's Phone Model 'iPhone 8 Space Gray'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] The police investigating the case of university student Son Jeong-min (22), who went missing and was found dead at Seoul Hangang Park, have secured and are analyzing witness testimonies, nearby closed-circuit television (CCTV), and black box footage.

A Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency official told reporters on the 6th, "So far, we have secured a total of 54 CCTV videos and are conducting a detailed analysis," adding, "We have also obtained and are reviewing black box footage from 133 vehicles that entered Hangang Park during the time the victim was present at the scene."

He continued, "Among the witnesses around the scene, we have conducted reference interviews with six individuals so far," and said, "We are also analyzing credit card usage records and call logs deemed necessary for the investigation." The police are additionally conducting digital forensics on Jeong-min’s mobile phone and securing and analyzing other materials necessary for the investigation.

The model of the mobile phone belonging to friend A, who was with Jeong-min until the end, has been confirmed as an ‘iPhone 8 Space Gray.’ The police have continued searching to secure this phone and on this day deployed the Hangang Police Unit to conduct searches along the riverside and underwater.

A’s mobile phone has been identified as a key clue to resolving suspicions on the day of the disappearance but remains missing. Previously, on the day Jeong-min went missing, April 25, A was seen holding Jeong-min’s phone when meeting with Jeong-min’s family. However, A’s phone was not found on Jeong-min’s body when it was discovered in the Hangang River.

The official also stated regarding A discarding the shoes he was wearing at the time, "We plan to thoroughly investigate the circumstances under which the shoes were discarded with the involved parties." When asked whether A deliberately disposed of his phone, he said, "We are searching to find the phone, and if secured, we will immediately verify its identity through the carrier and request forensic analysis," adding that the circumstances under which A possesses the phone will also be investigated.

Jeong-min’s father, Son Hyun (50), in an interview with the media, said that regarding A’s statement about ‘throwing away the shoes,’ he went to A on April 26 to obtain as much information as possible and to encourage cooperation with a hypnosis investigation. At that time, A said, "My friend (Jeong-min) suddenly woke up while sleeping, ran, tried to catch his teeth, and fell down, and his shoes and clothes got dirty."

He added, "Later, I wondered why he emphasized the story about his shoes and clothes getting dirty, as it was not a place where they would get dirty," and said, "I wanted to see what was stained, and since I thought the clothes had been washed, I asked to see the shoes, but he immediately said he had thrown them away," raising doubts. He also said, "I want to know how Jeong-min entered the Hangang River between 3:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m."

Jeong-min drank with a friend at Banpo Hangang Park from around 11 p.m. on April 24 until about 2 a.m. the next day and then fell asleep. Friend A woke up around 4:30 a.m. and returned home alone, but Jeong-min went missing and was found dead on the afternoon of April 30. It was reported that his clothing was the same as when he disappeared.

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