Friend of Medical Student in Hangang Park Death Case Cleared of Charges After 2 Years and 8 Months

Suspicions Raised That Mr. A Was Involved Mainly Online
Case Transferred to Prosecutors in 2021 Following Family's Objection

The prosecution investigating the case of Son Jeong-min (22), who went missing at Banpo Hangang Park in Seoul and was later found dead, has cleared the friend who last met with Son of any charges. This comes more than two years after the case was transferred to the prosecution.

On the 17th, the Criminal Division 3 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Jo Seok-gyu) announced that at the end of last month, they dismissed the case against Son's friend A, who was accused of assault leading to death and other charges. Son had gone missing on April 25, 2021, at Banpo Hangang Park in Seoul and was found dead five days later. A was the friend who last drank with Son, and early in the investigation, suspicions arose online that A might have been involved in Son's death. However, no evidence supporting this was found.

The memorial site for the late Son Jeong-min set up at Banpo Hangang Park [Photo by Yonhap News]

In June of the same year, the police closed the investigation, announcing that no criminal suspicion such as homicide was found in Son's death. At that time, the police deployed 35 officers to investigate the cause of Son's death. Son's family filed a complaint against A for assault leading to death and other charges, but the police dismissed the case in October 2021. However, due to the family's objection, the case was automatically transferred to the prosecution.

A representative from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office stated, "After the case was transferred, we conducted thorough supplementary investigations including interviews with the complainant, reanalysis of closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage, witness investigations, and on-site verifications," adding, "It was difficult to acknowledge the allegations, so due to insufficient evidence, the case was dismissed."

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