By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
An arrest warrant was sought Sunday for the head of the late actress
Jang Ja-yeon's former agency on charges of intimidation and violence, embezzlement and fleeing to avoid police questioning.
But the warrant request does not include his alleged coercion of Jang into providing sexual services to corporate and media heavyweights. Police said the probe period since his extradition from Japan to Korea Friday was too short, adding they will intensify their investigation into the allegation once the warrant is issued.
The 40-year-old agent, Kim Sung-hoon, had been hiding in Japan since December. Jang committed suicide in March, claiming in a suicide note that he forced her to provide sex and entertainment to influential showbiz figures.
"So far, he claims that there were many events with drinking for his business, and that Jang voluntarily accompanied him to several functions. We'll focus on probing the forced sex allegations after the warrant is issued", police officer Han Pyung-hyeon at the Bundang Police Office said.
Police said that Kim admitted to his alleged violent behavior towards her.
"Kim testified that he hit her on the head and in the face with his hands and a plastic bottle during a party inside his agency building in southern Seoul in June last year, because she revealed his private information to others. But he claims it was a minor tapping", Han said, adding the "private information" was related to drugs.
He also allegedly sent a text message to one of Jang's acquaintances saying that he took drugs with her, and threatened Jang, saying he would spread the rumor which could have dealt a serious blow to her showbiz career.
Police took samples of Kim's hair and urine to verify whether he took narcotics.
Kim is also suspected of embezzling part of the money that the late actress was supposed to receive after shooting a film in January.
The prosecution also included a fleeing charge in the warrant request. Police arrested Kim on Nov. 26 on suspicions of sexually harassing a male model, but he fled while police officers were searching his car to find illegal drugs, and flew to Japan on Dec. 2.
A court will decide whether to issue the warrant today. If it is issued, police will resume the probe into the showbiz figures allegedly implicated in the scandal. In April, police wrapped up an initial investigation as they had difficulty confirming allegations without questioning Kim, booking nine people and suspending investigation of another four.
