Police Conclude 'Insufficient Evidence' in Complaint Against Son Jeong-min's Friend for Abandonment and Homicide Charges

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] It has been confirmed that the family of university student Son Jeong-min, who went missing and was found dead at Hangang Park, has closed the case against his friend Mr. A.

According to the police on the 24th, the Seocho Police Station in Seoul decided on the 22nd not to refer the case to the prosecution after a four-month investigation into the family’s accusation against Mr. A for assault resulting in death and abandonment resulting in death, citing "insufficient evidence."

A police official stated, "We conducted a thorough investigation over the past four months since the accusation, but we could not find any evidence to prove Mr. A’s guilt."

In cases of non-prosecution decisions, the police can close the case internally, but if the accuser raises an objection, the case must be forwarded to the prosecution. The prosecution may request a reinvestigation by the police according to relevant laws if necessary.

After Son went missing following drinking with Mr. A in April and was found dead five days later, the police deployed a large number of personnel and conducted a multifaceted investigation but found no signs of criminal charges.

The family’s accusation is known to have been made to urge the police to continue the investigation after the police referred the case to the Inquest Committee on Deaths (Inquest Committee).

On June 29, the Inquest Committee, composed of internal members and external experts in law and medicine, concluded that Son’s death could not be considered a homicide, and the police subsequently closed the case as an internal investigation.

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