Police officers investigating the suicide of
Jang Ja-yeon want to press charges against seven of the nine men accused of forcing the actress to serve drinks at parties.
The Bundang Police Precinct in Gyeonggi has dropped charges against the other two men questioned in the weeks-long probe. They handed over documents related to the case to the state prosecution yesterday.
In addition, a fifth charge has been made against Kim Sung-hoon, 40, the head of Jang's former management agency. Kim has already been charged on four counts of forcing Jang to serve drinks and have sex with influential figures.
The police said one of Jang's former colleagues who also worked for Kim's agency told police on Wednesday that she witnessed Kim coercing Jang into serving drinks.
Kim was detained on Monday on charges of physically assaulting Jang, embezzling money she earned from her performances, threatening her and her friends and fleeing in a separate case involving the alleged sexual harassment of a male model last year.
Bundang police also accused Yoo Jang-ho, the head of Jang's agency at the time of her suicide, of another charge, saying he insulted Kim by telling Jang to write a letter that complained about how she was treated in order to take advantage of a separate lawsuit against Kim.
Previously, Kim's lawyer had accused Yoo of defamation after he allegedly leaked Jang's letter to the media. Police sought a detention warrant against Yoo as well.
Investigators said they want to indict without detention five of the seven men accused in the case. These five include two producers, one entertainment agency official and two financial industry officials. The other two are Yoo and Kim.
By Jang Joo-young, Lee Min-yong
