ID :
52972
Mon, 03/30/2009 - 21:11
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/52972
The shortlink copeid
Police to summon journalists over suicide of actress
SEOUL, March 30 (Yonhap) -- Police investigating the suicide of late actress Jang Ja-yeon on Monday summoned journalists for questioning over a letter left behind by the actress that suggests she was forced to provide sexual favors by her
former agent.
Jang, 30, hanged herself at her house in Bundang, south of Seoul, on March 7. The
case took an unexpected turn a few days later when the contents of the lengthy
letter Jang is believed to have written were made public by local broadcaster
KBS.
In the letter, Jang said her former agent had forced her to provide sexual favors
to several high-powered entertainment figures and journalists, bringing to
surface widespread rumors of abuse of young and emerging actresses.
Police launched an investigation several days after the contents of the letter
were broadcast. KBS has refused to disclose how it got hold of the letter.
Police on Monday summoned three of the five journalists for questioning as part
of efforts to determine how they managed to gain access to the letter. The
results of the summons were not immediately known.
Two of the three journalists have been sued for defamation by Jang's family, who
were reluctant to reveal aspects of the actress' life.
"Police launched the probe only after our report was aired. They tried so hard to
turn it into a simple suicide case," a KBS reporter said earlier in the day,
requesting anonymity. "Now they want to question us, when they should really be
focusing on those who are accused of pressuring Jang to provide sexual favors."
Police said they will also summon Jang's former manager Yoo Jang-ho and several
people listed in Jang's letter this week for questioning. They are currently
looking into Jang's e-mails and phone call records for more evidence.
It is not the first time that suspicion over the abuse of female actresses has
been raised in South Korea's local entertainment industry.
In January, the cloning of top actress Jeon Ji-hyeon's mobile phone by her agent
triggered renewed debate on the boundaries between an entertainer's right to
privacy and commercial interests.
hayney@yna.co.kr
(END)
former agent.
Jang, 30, hanged herself at her house in Bundang, south of Seoul, on March 7. The
case took an unexpected turn a few days later when the contents of the lengthy
letter Jang is believed to have written were made public by local broadcaster
KBS.
In the letter, Jang said her former agent had forced her to provide sexual favors
to several high-powered entertainment figures and journalists, bringing to
surface widespread rumors of abuse of young and emerging actresses.
Police launched an investigation several days after the contents of the letter
were broadcast. KBS has refused to disclose how it got hold of the letter.
Police on Monday summoned three of the five journalists for questioning as part
of efforts to determine how they managed to gain access to the letter. The
results of the summons were not immediately known.
Two of the three journalists have been sued for defamation by Jang's family, who
were reluctant to reveal aspects of the actress' life.
"Police launched the probe only after our report was aired. They tried so hard to
turn it into a simple suicide case," a KBS reporter said earlier in the day,
requesting anonymity. "Now they want to question us, when they should really be
focusing on those who are accused of pressuring Jang to provide sexual favors."
Police said they will also summon Jang's former manager Yoo Jang-ho and several
people listed in Jang's letter this week for questioning. They are currently
looking into Jang's e-mails and phone call records for more evidence.
It is not the first time that suspicion over the abuse of female actresses has
been raised in South Korea's local entertainment industry.
In January, the cloning of top actress Jeon Ji-hyeon's mobile phone by her agent
triggered renewed debate on the boundaries between an entertainer's right to
privacy and commercial interests.
hayney@yna.co.kr
(END)
