A STUDENT bought a one-way ticket to Dover and fell from the cliffs after his crush rejected him, an inquest has heard.
Junmo Jeong, 20, had been at an art gallery with pals when he left suddenly and bought a one-way train ticket.
A frantic search was launched for Junmo with his mum issuing an appeal for him to return home.
On March 3 coastguard crews spotted Junmo’s body among rocks at the foot of the however.
An inquest into the death has since heard that the tragic student had been studying at the London College of Fashion at the time.
He had been with friends at the Lethaby Gallery on February 26 before he disappeared without saying goodbye.
Investigating officer DS Oliver Austin told coroner Katrina Hepburn that Junmo had developed feelings for a fellow university student.
He added that Junmo’s feelings were not reciprocated and his flatmate told he had been rejected shortly before he disappeared.
DS Austin explained: “He described to me that Junmo had an interest in a female who also studied at the university.
“He explained that the love interest didn’t reciprocate the same feelings as Junmo and this was before he sadly went missing.
“It was unusual for him to go without saying anything.
“Junmo did like to travel on his own, but he would usually tell someone where he was going. This time, he did not.”
How to get help
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide
It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
- CALM, www.thecalmzone.net , 0800 585 858
- Heads Together, www.headstogether.org.uk
- HUMEN www.wearehumen.org
- Mind, www.mind.org.uk , 0300 123 3393
- Samaritans, www.samaritans.org , 116 123
also spoke to the woman Junmo had developed an interest in.
She told officers that she had suggested her and Junmo stop communicating.
However, their messages had been deleted, meaning police could not establish precisely when their final exchange took place.
Junmo arrived at Priory railway station at about 11.50pm after leaving the art gallery without saying goodbye.
The inquest heard he had previously visited the town on a trip with friends on February 14 and particularly enjoyed the views from the clifftops.
It was heard he had left his bank cards and ID at his flat in London.
CCTV showed him leaving the station alone and walking towards the White Cliffs, with camera coverage ending near Athol Terrace.
His concerned flatmate reported him missing to the the following day after being unable to contact him.
Kent Police took over the on March 1, with officers searching the clifftops and surrounding area.
Mobile phone records showed Mr Jeong’s device remained connected to the network until 1.59pm on February 28, but it was never recovered.
After his body was discovered at the base of the cliffs a coastguard crew member was lowered to the scene from a helicopter and found his injuries appeared consistent with a fall of about 300ft from the clifftops above.
He was pronounced dead at 12.06pm before being recovered by lifeboat crews.
A post-mortem examination subsequently confirmed he had suffered multiple severe injuries consistent with a fall from height.
Officers inspected the clifftop area where they believed Junmo might have fallen, but were unable to approach the edge because of the danger.
DS Austin said that, from about 10ft away, there were no obvious slip marks or signs that the cliff edge had crumbled.
He acknowledged that Junmo could have fallen elsewhere along the cliffs before being carried to where he was found by the sea.
The inquest heard there was no concrete evidence to establish this, however.
Police found no evidence of suspicious circumstances or third-party involvement.
DS Austin told the court he believed Junmo may have travelled to the cliffs intending to take his own life.
He based this theory on several factors, including the single train ticket, the absence of personal belongings and his rejection by the fellow student.
Junmo’s family strongly disputed the suggestion, saying he regularly travelled alone and had been making plans for his future.
His mother, Kim Sunhee, described her son as a creative and ambitious young man who had shown no signs of wanting to harm himself.
In a statement read to the court, she said: “Junmo was a young man of strong character, discipline and creativity.
“He was committed to his studies and took pride in his academic progress.
“He maintained regular contact with his family. His communication was consistent, rational and future-orientated.
“He had clear plans for his education and long-term career.
“He was not isolated, nor was he disengaged from life. On the contrary, he was actively building his future.”
The family questioned whether Mr Jeong could have fallen accidentally and raised concerns about gaps in the .
They pointed to the lack of CCTV showing what happened after he reached the clifftops.
After considering the evidence, the coroner accepted Junmo had died from injuries sustained in a fall, but said it was impossible to establish what had caused it.
She therefore recorded a narrative conclusion, confirming he had died from multiple injuries consistent with a fall from the cliffs.
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.
