Key Points on the Hangang Death Incident... Pyo Chang-won "Focus on Alcohol"

Regarding the case of university student the late Son Jeong-min (22), who went missing and was found dead at Seoul Hangang Park, Pyo Chang-won, director of the Crime Science Research Institute, pointed to "alcohol" as the key factor in this case.
[Photo by YouTube 'MBC Radio']

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] Regarding the case of university student the late Son Jeong-min (22), who went missing and was found dead at Seoul Hangang Park, witness statements have emerged claiming to have seen an unidentified man entering the river on the day of the disappearance. In this context, Pyo Chang-won, director of the Crime Science Research Institute and Korea's first professional profiler, pointed to "alcohol" as the key factor in this case.

On the 18th, on MBC Radio's "Pyo Chang-won's News High Kick," Director Pyo said the possibilities of the case could be narrowed down to three: homicide, accidental death, and the possibility that he entered the water by himself. He also stated, "If a third party was involved, that person would likely be one of those who drank at the Hangang until dawn."

He then highlighted "alcohol" as the key point. He explained, "Alcohol causes various effects. First, when alcohol is consumed beyond a certain amount that the body can metabolize, alcohol molecules attach to GABA receptors in the brain." He added, "This causes the release of dopamine and other neurotransmitters, leading to various hyperactive behaviors similar to mania and heightened emotions."

He also mentioned that alcohol consumption causes the cerebellum to shrink. He said, "This results in poor balance and falling down," adding, "The body's ability to control muscles is lost, causing staggering or stumbling, and it also affects the hippocampus, leading to significant memory impairment." Therefore, many events may not be remembered. He emphasized, "The key is to determine how much drinking occurred at the time of the incident and what kind of interactions and mutual behaviors took place under the influence of alcohol."

It is known that Son and his friend A drank by the Hangang from around 11 p.m. on April 24 to 2 a.m. on April 25. According to purchase records, nine bottles of alcohol were bought, but it is unclear whether all the purchased alcohol was consumed.

Earlier, the autopsy results suggested that Son's cause of death was drowning. Regarding this, Director Pyo said, "The medical autopsy showed that the cause of cardiac arrest was drowning, and no fractures, blunt force trauma from external objects, or poisons were found," stating that the cause of death could not be considered anything other than drowning. However, he added, "The blood alcohol concentration was found to exceed 0.1, which is above the level of intoxication," and emphasized, "The key is to clarify the preceding cause that led to the drowning."

On the morning of the 18th, a memorial space for the late Son Jeong-min was set up near the water taxi dock at Banpo Hangang Park in Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Regarding a witness report that an unidentified man was seen walking toward the Hangang around 4:40 a.m. on the day Son went missing, Director Pyo said, "Scientific evidence would be CCTV or other video equipment, but since that has not been found yet, a witness has come forward." He continued, "From a subjective psychological perspective, the bereaved family strongly denies this, saying their son, who disliked water, would have no reason to voluntarily enter the water. This raises the question of whether the influence of alcohol caused him to behave in an unusual way."

Director Pyo also said, "If it is unrelated, then this man is likely not Son," and explained that additional verification is needed to properly identify the man described by the witness.

Earlier, the police stated that on the morning of the 25th, the day Son went missing, around 4:40 a.m., a group of seven people fishing reported seeing an unidentified man enter the Hangang, and the police are checking whether this is related to the case.

Witnesses reportedly said, "We thought he had drunk a lot and was going in to swim, so we didn't think it was dangerous," and "He was moving his arms like swimming and going deep into the river." The police have completed on-site investigations and forensic analysis of mobile phones to verify the credibility of the report, but since the identity of the person entering the water has not been confirmed, they are continuing to secure additional witnesses and analyze nearby CCTV footage.

In response, Son's father expressed disbelief. Through his blog, he referred to the police announcement, saying, "Suddenly, new witness stories are coming out as breaking news today, and I have been contacted from all directions," adding, "The existence of witnesses is absurd, and swimming in clothes at dawn is not worth responding to." He also said, "I don't want to believe it, but the unfolding circumstances are making me anxious again."

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