[Comprehensive] Son Jeongmin's Father Releases New CCTV Footage to Refute Friend's Claims... Alcohol Dispute Intensifies

Mr. A's Side: "Difficult to Give Specific Answers Due to Blackout"
Mr. Jeongmin's Father Refutes by Revealing CCTV Footage... "Hand Went In and Over the Fence"
Speculation and Conspiracy Theories About Mr. A Also Spread in Some Circles

The friend A of the late Jeongmin Son stated to JTBC that "(A's) blackout is supported by objective facts." / Photo by JTBC

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] The dispute between the father and friend of the deceased university student Son Jeongmin (22), who was found dead after going missing at Seoul Hangang Park, is intensifying over the truth of the case. Friend A, who drank with Jeongmin on the day he went missing, explained that he could not provide specific testimony about the accident due to memory loss caused by intoxication, but Jeongmin’s father, Son Hyun, refuted this, saying, "He did not seem drunk."

◆"I can't remember due to blackout" vs "He didn't seem drunk" - Truth dispute intensifies

On the 17th, A issued his first official statement through his legal representative, asking for an end to speculation and defamation against him.

In the statement, A’s side said, "We thought it was not right to explain that the suspicions raised against A are unfair while the deceased passed away not long ago," adding, "Now is the time to mourn the deceased and comfort the family’s grief, and since the police will uncover the truth, we believe the best course is to cooperate fully with the police investigation."

Regarding why he could not explain the specific details of the accident, he explained, "It’s not that I hid the truth, but I really don’t know much," and "Due to blackout caused by heavy intoxication, I hardly remember anything clearly. That’s why it was difficult to give specific answers."

He also appealed, "Please refrain from excessive speculation and defamation at least until the investigation results come out," and "If it is proven that the speculation is false, please help A and his family return to their normal daily lives."

Han River Park CCTV footage released by Jeongmin's father, Son Hyun. Friend A is seen climbing over the fence and heading into the park. / Photo by JTBC

However, Jeongmin’s father Son refuted A’s position by releasing new closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage. The CCTV footage Son released through JTBC on the 23rd shows A crossing a fence with his father and heading toward Hangang Park at around 5:12 a.m. on the 25th of last month.

Regarding this scene, Son said, "(A) was wearing slippers, climbed over two layers of the fence, and even put his hand in," adding, "There is no sign of intoxication, let alone a blackout."

He also raised suspicion, saying, "He said he went to look for him quickly without contacting us, but he went straight to that (missing) location," and "Only A could have told us that location. But A says he was drunk and doesn’t remember."

In response to these suspicions, A’s side told JTBC on the same day, "There was an additional investigation on the 22nd, and A has been actively cooperating with the police investigation, including a lengthy interrogation," and "The fact that A experienced a blackout is supported by objective facts."

◆Speculation against Jeongmin’s friend spreads... protests demanding investigation

Previously, Jeongmin went missing after drinking with A at Hangang Park from around 11 p.m. on the 24th of last month until about 2 a.m. the next day. Jeongmin was found dead near the park five days after going missing, on the 30th of last month.

A called his parents around 3:30 a.m. on the day Jeongmin went missing and returned home about an hour later with Jeongmin’s cellphone.

Regarding this, Jeongmin’s family pointed out that A took Jeongmin’s cellphone and went home, discarded the shoes he was wearing at the time of the incident, and hired a lawyer during the hypnosis investigation, raising suspicions that "this is not common sense." The police summoned A for a witness investigation and also conducted digital forensic analysis on A’s family’s cellphones.

On the afternoon of the 16th, participants at the "Peace Rally for the Late Son Jeong-min" held near the water taxi dock at Banpo Hangang Park in Seoul shouted slogans urging a swift investigation. / Photo by Yonhap News

Some netizens have raised baseless speculation and conspiracy theories about A. Recently, rumors spread that A is related to the head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s investigation department, and a hospital presumed to be where A’s father works was flooded with malicious comments.

On the 16th, hundreds of citizens gathered near the water taxi dock at Banpo Hangang Park, where Jeongmin was found dead, chanting slogans effectively accusing A, such as "Investigate A" and "Release the CCTV."

Meanwhile, A’s side denied these suspicions as "groundless." In the statement released on the 17th, A’s side said, "There are no influential figures among A’s family or relatives in investigative agencies, the legal profession, media, or political and economic circles," and "A’s father’s occupation is far from being an influential figure, and his mother has been a full-time housewife since marriage."

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