Police to resume probe into scandal over actress' suicide

SEONGNAM, South Korea, June 25 (Yonhap) -- Police said Thursday they will resume
their investigation into the recent suicide of a popular South Korean actress
following the arrest in Japan of a key suspect in the case a day earlier.
Jang Ja-yeon, the 30-year-old actress, took her own life at her house in Bundang,
south of Seoul, in early March, claiming in a suicide note that a former agent
had forced her to provide sexual favors to several high-profile entertainment
figures and journalists.
The agent, identified only by his surname Kim, had fled to Japan before the
police investigation started and was arrested by Japanese police in Tokyo on
Wednesday. Kim will soon be extradited to South Korea to face charges of
threatening and coercing Jang, police said.
"When Kim is sent back to Korea, we will investigate all allegations related to
the so-called 'Jang Ja-yeon list,'" Han Pung-hyeon, chief of Bundang Police
Station, told a media briefing. "All 13 suspects (on the list) are subject to the
probe that is set to resume."
His comments are in reference to a list of names that appeared on Jang's suicide
note, including several media and entertainment industry heavyweights accused of
soliciting sexual favors from the actress.
Police booked nine people including entertainment company officials and directors
in April and wrapped up the probe without interrogating several individuals on
the list, saying they had difficulty confirming the allegations without
questioning Kim.
Kim is expected to be sent back to Seoul within three months, after a Japanese
court orders his deportation, Han said.
brk@yna.co.kr
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