Son Jeong-min's Friend Says "Blackout from the Moment of Drinking... Threw Away T-shirt with Vomit Stains"

Friend's Side Releases Second Statement
Explains Blackout Timing and Reason for Discarding T-Shirt
Also Requests Restraint from Groundless Speculation

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] Regarding the case of university student Son Jeong-min (22), who went missing and was found dead at Seoul Hangang Park, the friend A, who was with him, has released a second statement spanning 22 pages. A’s side clarified the suspicions raised by Son’s bereaved family and requested restraint from spreading unfounded speculation online.

On the 29th, attorney Jung Byung-won of the law firm One & Partners, representing A, stated in the statement, “From the bereaved family’s perspective, based solely on the current outcome, they may speculate and raise suspicions about A and his parents’ words and actions, interpreting and understanding them in their own way,” but added, “This presupposes that all responsibility lies solely with A’s side, which may be an excessively result-oriented speculation.”

Earlier, Son’s father, Son Hyun (50), raised several suspicions through statements and his blog, including whether A was indeed in a blackout state at the time and the fact that the T-shirt worn was discarded along with shoes the next day.

"Blackout started from the moment we met the deceased at Hangang Park and began drinking"

Regarding the timing of the blackout, A’s side explained, “The blackout, when A’s memory was almost lost, began after meeting the deceased, buying alcohol (2 bottles of soju, 2 bottles of cheongju), settling down at Hangang Park, and starting to drink again, around 11:14 p.m. on the day before the disappearance, April 24,” adding, “A remembers events before that time at a normal level, but from the moment he started drinking again after 11:14 p.m. until he finished his second visit to Hangang Park around 6:10 a.m. the next day and returned home, his memory is almost nonexistent.”

"Memory of pulling up the deceased and the drowning are unrelated"

Regarding suspicions that A might know or be involved in how Son entered the water, A’s side said, “The memories of the deceased seemingly falling on the hill, A slipping while trying to pull him up, and subsequently pulling him up have been consistently stated since the first witness investigation,” and added, “Considering the distance from the river and the absence of water traces on A, it is judged that the memory of pulling the deceased near the hill and the deceased’s entry into the water are unrelated.”

They also said, “Since a location tracking application was installed on the deceased’s phone and it is highly likely that A continuously possessed that phone, if the app’s data is disclosed, it will help clear misunderstandings about the timing of these events and A’s movements.”

T-shirt worn at the time “discarded due to vomit stains”

A’s side also explained the circumstances of discarding the T-shirt along with the shoes. They said, “The T-shirt cost about 10,000 won for two pieces and was old and worn out, with vomit stains, so it was discarded,” and argued, “Although questions arise about discarding clothes and shoes without even washing them just because of some vomit stains, it is unfair that differences in lifestyle cause suspicion.”

They further explained, “There are suspicions claiming A’s T-shirt and shoes were wet, but whether the T-shirt was wet, the shoes were heavy, or the shoelaces’ condition cannot be identified from the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage,” adding, “CCTV analysis is difficult without expertise, and considering that A was outdoors for a long time and even fell asleep, it is easy to understand that he could have been cold even if he was not wet when returning home.” They added, “According to the bereaved family, ‘the shoes and T-shirt were wet but the shorts were not,’ which is unrealistic to believe.”

Explanation for going up and down the river slope for 15 minutes

Regarding criticism that A and his family did not search the surroundings but only went up and down the river slope for 15 minutes on the day of the disappearance, A’s side said, “A and his father each stayed near the river slope for about 7 to 8 minutes,” and explained, “It was the father’s first time entering the inner part of Hangang Park, and the distance from the park to the river was closer than expected, which seemed dangerous, so he looked toward the river. Since there was a space that could not be seen without going down the river slope, he went down and slowly moved to check if the deceased might be lying there.”

Explanation regarding the reason for not reporting the disappearance and being passive in searching

Regarding the fact that A and his family did not call the police, fire department, or Son’s family, they said, “It takes about 6 to 7 minutes to get from A’s house to Hangang Park, which is close, and A’s father thought the deceased was asleep where he was playing and did not perceive it as an emergency.”

Regarding criticism that A was passive in searching for Son after the disappearance, they explained, “Although A expressed willingness to actively participate in searching by distributing flyers, the deceased’s mother gently refused, saying, ‘Nowadays, searching mainly uses the internet, and there is little need to go outside, so it’s okay.’” They added, “Later, since the bereaved family showed suspicion toward A and his parents, raised issues on blogs, and somewhat sympathized with comments doubting A, even if A tried to participate in searching, he expected to be rejected, making active cooperation somewhat difficult.” They also mentioned difficulties going outside due to concerns about identity exposure.

“Never suggested suicide or running away first”… Request to refrain from speculation

A’s side also clarified the claim that A mentioned the possibility of Son’s suicide or running away to the bereaved family. They said, “The deceased’s parents requested a meeting with A and his parents to ask about the deceased’s whereabouts,” and added, “They repeatedly asked A if he knew about any worries that only friends might know, which the parents did not, regarding the deceased’s concerns.” They continued, “A spoke about worries he heard from the deceased, such as family, studies, and the passing of the deceased’s grandmother,” and stated, “A never first suggested the possibility of suicide or running away, and during the conversation, the deceased’s father shed tears, and A comforted him by saying, ‘The deceased will surely come back.’”

A’s side also requested restraint from unverified speculation online. They said, “Groundless speculation, raising suspicions, spreading false information, insults, doxxing, and various illegal acts are still ongoing,” and sincerely asked, “Please delete all related posts currently uploaded on the internet, and we ask for help to prevent further harm from occurring from this point onward.”

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