Detective Supporting the 'Hwaseong Serial Murders' Case: "The Late Son Jeong-min's Accident Is Filled with Baseless Falsehoods"

"Lack of Trust in Police Causes Amplification Effect"
"Unverified Suspicions May Lead to Civil and Criminal Liability"

Kim Bok-jun, Research Fellow at the Korea Institute of Criminology / Photo by YouTube Capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Kim Bokjun, a research fellow at the Korea Institute of Criminology who participated in the on-site investigation of the so-called 'Hwaseong serial murder case,' expressed concerns about the 'Han River university student death' incident. He pointed out that unverified speculation and conspiracy theories are spreading online.

On the 19th, Research Fellow Kim posted a lengthy article about the late Son Jungmin (22) case on the YouTube channel 'Kim Bokjun Kim Yunhee's Case Request,' which he co-operates with former profiler Kim Yunhee. This YouTube channel, run by Research Fellow Kim, is a popular channel with nearly 370,000 subscribers, mainly covering stories about high-profile violent crimes or unsolved cases that have become social issues.

In the post on that day, Research Fellow Kim stated, "As you know, an investigation is underway to ascertain the truth, but false rumors and misinformation that differ from the facts are rampant," and pointed out, "If you follow the substance of those contents, there is no basis from the start."

He continued, "They are novels written in someone's mind and judgments based on assumptions of unconfirmed facts," adding, "There is a lack of trust in the police, which is causing a reinforcing effect, and as a former police officer, I find this regrettable."

Citizens participating in the march to commemorate Jeong-min's death and demand a thorough investigation are marching. / Photo by Yonhap News

Regarding the spread of speculation related to the Jungmin case, Research Fellow Kim emphasized, "The problem ultimately must be overcome by the police themselves through self-reflective efforts," and added, "I believe that will happen someday."

On the family of Jungmin raising suspicions during the investigation process, he said, "That is natural. It is true that there were things beyond the common sense judgment of ordinary people when you listen to them."

However, he pointed out, "The act of third parties spreading unverified statements mixed with the raised suspicions can lead to civil and criminal liability if done improperly," and said, "This is exactly the point I am concerned about."

He further emphasized, "It is truly dangerous behavior to be misled by unconfirmed facts and to criticize and insult someone as if they were established facts."

Meanwhile, on the 16th, some citizens gathered near the water taxi dock at Banpo Hangang Park in Seoul, where Jungmin was found dead, to demand a thorough investigation into the incident.

Malicious comments from netizens are posted on the review page of a hospital in Seoul on 'Kakao Map.' / Photo by Internet homepage capture

About 300 citizens who gathered at the time held placards with phrases such as "Demand swift, fair, and accurate investigation," "Uncover the truth of Jungmin's death," and "We are Jungmin's parents," raising their voices to call for a precise investigation into Jungmin's death. They marched while shouting slogans like "Do not tamper with evidence" and "Release the closed-circuit television (CCTV)." Some citizens effectively pointed to Jungmin's friend A as the culprit, chanting "Investigate Mr. A."

Meanwhile, on social networking services (SNS) and internet communities, posts raising suspicions about Jungmin's death have been continuously uploaded online.

Some netizens labeled friend A as a criminal, making baseless claims such as "Hiring a lawyer to buy time," and "There are too many bad people in the world. Killing a friend," while controversy arose as the hospital speculated to be operated by A's father was targeted with 'star rating terrorism.'

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