"Cancel the Program" 'The Real Story' Late Son Jung-min Episode Sparks Widespread 'Biased Broadcasting' Controversy

'GeuAl' Broadcast: Late Son Jung-min's Father Requests Correction
Viewer Board Flooded with Demands to Cancel Broadcast for 'False Information' and 'Biased Reporting'
Ban Jin-sa Side "Please Provide Black Box and CCTV Footage Near the Rabbit Hole"

Photo by SBS from the broadcast screen of 'Unanswered Questions'.

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] "Shut down the program immediately!", "Apologize for spreading false information!"

The SBS program "Unanswered Questions" (Geu-al), which covered the suspicious death of the late Son Jeong-min, has been embroiled in controversy over false reporting. Not only Son's father but also citizens interested in the case are raising their voices demanding the program be shut down entirely. Criticism continues that the analyses by experts, including criminal psychologist Professor Lee Soo-jung who appeared on the broadcast, cannot be trusted.

On the 31st, the 'Geu-al' viewer board was flooded with posts expressing disbelief in the report, accompanied by harsh profanity. One viewer criticized the April 29 broadcast, saying, "I understand that many drowning cases remain unsolved," and "Do profilers and experts really uncover everything!"

In the broadcast that day, criminal psychology experts with profiling backgrounds expressed the opinion that the possibility of homicide in Son's death was low. Professor Lee Soo-jung of the Department of Criminal Psychology at Kyonggi University analyzed, "Hangang Park is a place overflowing with witnesses 24 hours a day," and "It is difficult for someone with murderous intent to kill in an open space where others can see."

Professor Kwon Il-yong, adjunct professor at Dongguk University's Graduate School of Police and Judicial Studies, also stated, "Crimes require clear motives and opportunities, but the motive and opportunity aspects are unlikely at Hangang," adding, "It is not considered appropriate to plan a crime there."

Professor Park Ji-sun of the Department of Social Psychology at Sookmyung Women's University explained, "To cause another person's death by drowning, that person must also be soaked in water," but "there has been no observation that Son's friend A was wet."

Professor Yoo Sung-ho of Seoul National University's Department of Forensic Medicine, who has conducted over 1,500 autopsies in 20 years, analyzed, "When judging drowning caused by others or by coercion, pressure or injuries on the chest, shoulders, and neck are important," and "(Son's body) showed no signs of restraint or suppression."

The SBS program "Unanswered Questions," which covered the suspicious death of the late Son Jeong-min, has been embroiled in controversy over false reporting. Son's father, as well as citizens interested in the case, are raising their voices demanding the program be abolished. Photo by SBS 'Unanswered Questions' viewer board capture

Amid ongoing expert analyses, Son's father, Son Hyun, refuted the 'Geu-al' broadcast content and demanded a correction. On the early morning of the 31st, Son posted a blog entry titled 'Geu-al,' disputing parts of the April 29 broadcast episode "Suspicions, Memories, and Rumors - The Secret of the Missing College Student's Death at Hangang."

Son criticized, "Even on weekends, the 'Geu-al' broadcast that dislikes us airs, and today I have to respond to it, but suddenly they say a cellphone was found, so there is no rest," adding, "Where and when the cellphone was found is important, but it feels unclear. We'll see."

He also uploaded a screenshot of a scene containing the 'actual conversation audio of friend A,' asserting, "This is the most important. The subtitle below says Jeong-min is not our Jeong-min," and "There is another friend **, but whether intentional or a mistake, the subtitle says Jeong-min."

He continued, "I requested the 'Geu-al' PD to correct it, but there was no response and it still hasn't changed. It creates a misunderstanding that the two drank together and our Jeong-min passed out but A took care of him. It is absolutely not Jeong-min. This is inappropriate to call a mistake. I request correction again," he emphasized.

Photo by SBS, screenshot from the broadcast of 'Geugeosi Algosipda'.

Son expressed dissatisfaction, saying, "After the 'Geu-al' broadcast, even those raising reasonable suspicions were made out to be people deceived by YouTube, SBS's nemesis," and "It's a remarkable dichotomy. I don't know if this is 'Unanswered Questions' or a fight against YouTube."

Meanwhile, a rally demanding a thorough investigation into Son's case was held on the 29th. Members of the Naver cafe 'People Seeking the Truth of Banpo Hangang Park (Banjinsa)' held a rally near the Express Bus Terminal Station in Seocho-gu, Seoul at 6 p.m., urging witnesses from the day of the incident to actively come forward.

Banjinsa stated, "Currently, the police are analyzing 126 nearby CCTVs and black boxes of vehicles that entered Hangang Park at the time of the missing person incident, but it seems they are having great difficulty reconstructing the day's events."

They added, "We, Banjinsa, gathered with the hope of finding even a small clue of the truth that the police might have missed," and "If anyone witnessed a male student (Son's friend A) wearing a baseball jumper and shorts at Banpo Hangang Park between midnight and 6 a.m. on April 25, or has black box footage or CCTV videos of vehicles parked near the rabbit hole, please report to us."

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