ID :
50769
Mon, 03/16/2009 - 15:16
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/50769
The shortlink copeid
Police step up probe into mysterious suicide of TV actress
SEONGNAM, South Korea, March 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's entertainment industry
is being rocked by a sex scandal tied to the surprising suicide of an
up-and-coming television actress last week.
Police said Monday that they are expanding their probe into allegations that the
late actress Jang Ja-yeon may have been forced into providing sexual favors for
big names in the industry after being repeatedly coerced by her agent.
Jang, who appeared in the popular KBS TV series "Boys Over Flowers," was found
dead at her home in Seongnam on the southern outskirts of Seoul last Saturday in
an apparent suicide.
The police investigation began after a note allegedly written by Jang was leaked
to the press suggesting that she took her life after being forced by her agent to
provide sexual services to influential media industry figures.
"We're also analyzing Jang's phone conversations (recorded on her cellphone).
It's difficult to disclose information (due to the on-going investigation) but we
found evidence (in her phone conversations) that there was some form of conflict
involving the actress," Oh Ji-yong, head of the investigation at Seongnam's
Bundang Police Station, said.
According to media reports and police, the 30-year old actress' letter said that
the head of her agency often beat her, forced her to serve drinks and act as an
escort at golf matches and coerced her to have sex with a number of ranking media
and corporate officials.
Police, however, said they have yet to confirm the veracity of the badly burnt
letter, which they received from a broadcaster that first broke the story. Police
said they were trying to reach Jang's former manager, identified only by his
surname Kim, who is reportedly staying in Japan.
Some 10 high-profile officials from the media industry and corporate sponsors
mentioned in the letter as being among the recipients of Jang's services are
likely to face a police investigation.
"We have yet to decide whether to investigate (all the people mentioned in the
letter)," Oh said.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)
is being rocked by a sex scandal tied to the surprising suicide of an
up-and-coming television actress last week.
Police said Monday that they are expanding their probe into allegations that the
late actress Jang Ja-yeon may have been forced into providing sexual favors for
big names in the industry after being repeatedly coerced by her agent.
Jang, who appeared in the popular KBS TV series "Boys Over Flowers," was found
dead at her home in Seongnam on the southern outskirts of Seoul last Saturday in
an apparent suicide.
The police investigation began after a note allegedly written by Jang was leaked
to the press suggesting that she took her life after being forced by her agent to
provide sexual services to influential media industry figures.
"We're also analyzing Jang's phone conversations (recorded on her cellphone).
It's difficult to disclose information (due to the on-going investigation) but we
found evidence (in her phone conversations) that there was some form of conflict
involving the actress," Oh Ji-yong, head of the investigation at Seongnam's
Bundang Police Station, said.
According to media reports and police, the 30-year old actress' letter said that
the head of her agency often beat her, forced her to serve drinks and act as an
escort at golf matches and coerced her to have sex with a number of ranking media
and corporate officials.
Police, however, said they have yet to confirm the veracity of the badly burnt
letter, which they received from a broadcaster that first broke the story. Police
said they were trying to reach Jang's former manager, identified only by his
surname Kim, who is reportedly staying in Japan.
Some 10 high-profile officials from the media industry and corporate sponsors
mentioned in the letter as being among the recipients of Jang's services are
likely to face a police investigation.
"We have yet to decide whether to investigate (all the people mentioned in the
letter)," Oh said.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)
