Police arrest man for allegedly rigging top actress' phone

SEOUL, Jan. 22 (Yonhap) -- Police in Seoul on Thursday arrested a man that
allegedly replicated a mobile phone used by top actress Jeon Ji-hyun to allow her
agency to track her communications.

The 39-year-old man, identified by his surname Kim, was under investigation for
reportedly reproducing Jeon's cell phone in November 2007. The cloned phone is
believed to have been used by her agency, Sidus HQ, to eavesdrop on her
conversations and text messages, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Police
Agency.
Sidus' contract with Jeon, 27, ends next month.
Kim, who runs an errand company which does everything from private investigative
work to delivery and other routine jobs, was alleged to have helped Sidus HQ
officials monitor phone records and text messages of the number used by Jeon,
which was registered under her father's name, over 10 times in late November of
2007.
The suspect was apprehended on Monday. Officials at Sidus HQ, one of the
country's largest entertainment agencies, were questioned earlier and have
confessed to ordering the suspect to clone the phone, according to police.
Police had initially planned to summon Sidus HQ's president later in the day but
postponed the interrogation until next week at the request of the agency, which
cited the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday.
Business insiders have said that Jeon was on bad terms with her agent for
interfering in her personal life and was planning not to renew her contract with
the firm. She signed with Sidus HQ during high school more than 10 years ago.
Jeon boasts enormous star power in South Korea and has also enjoyed popularity
throughout Asia as a commercial model for big brands, including Coca Cola. Her
big break came after her performance in the hit movie "My Sassy Girl."
odissy@yna.co.kr
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