By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
Five people implicated in the alleged sex abuse surrounding the late actress Jang Ja-yeon are expected to be referred to the prosecution, police said Friday.
An officer of the Bundang Police said that they plan to charge five people ― Jang's former manager Yoo Jang-ho, her former agency head, identified as Kim, a television program director, the chief of an entertainment agency, and a former journalist.
The program director and entertainment agency head are among nine suspects who were allegedly ``entertained'' by the late actress. Jang claimed in a note that Kim forced her to provide sexual services and entertainment to media and corporate executives in exchange for more media exposure.
Police have looked into the suspects' cell phone records and their alibis on the dates when Jang's actress colleagues claimed the ``entertainment'' took place.
They secured testimony that the former journalist sexually harassed her during a drinking session. The head of an Internet news provider, who was first suspected of having sexually harassed Jang, is likely to be cleared of the allegation.
Police will announce interim investigation results next week. They are considering suspending interrogating other suspects until Kim, who has been hiding in Japan, is extradited, as they have had difficulty confirming the allegations without questioning him.
Criticism is mounting that the police have done little to find out the truth even though they looked into records of 130,000 cell phone calls of related figures and raided bars and Kim's office during the 35-day investigation.
Police have not been active in questioning big names of media and corporations allegedly mentioned in the suicide note. Among the suspects was a media firm CEO. ``The CEO is strongly denying the suspicion and has not answered our calls for questioning,'' a police officer said.
Investigators have failed to find Kim despite asking the Japanese authorities to track him down. They have had him listed on Interpol's red notice, invalidated his passport and are tracking his cell phone location.