SUICIDE CASE OF ACTRESS

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A probe committee under the Justice Ministry has concluded that it would be difficult to recommend the prosecution to revisit key suspicions, surrounding the 2009 suicide of actress Jang Ja-yeon. The conclusion comes after a year long investigation into allegations that were initially raised nine years ago. The committee explained that the statutes of limitations expired for all key allegations, and further added that even though the so called Jang Ja-yeon's list of men that sexually assaulted her does exist, it would be impossible to prove its existence.

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​An actress left a suicide note saying she was forced into having sexual relations and entertaining men at bars. A prosecutorial probe committee concluded that document written by the late Jang Ja-yeon can be used as evidence. as it proves that Kim Jong-seung, the chief of her management agency, forced and threatened her into entertaining men at drinking parties. Kim was even found to have assaulted the actress. However, the committee added it would be impossible to prove the existence of a controversial list, believed to have been written by Jang that details the names of the men she was forced to serve.

[Soundbite] MOON JOON-YOUNG(PROS. PROBE COMMITTEE) : "It is impossible to probe the list, since we are now unable to confirm its existence and have conflicting testimonies regarding the matter."

The committee did not accept a lower fact-finding panel's opinion that the Jang Ja-yeon list could have existed. The committee also concluded that it would be difficult to recommend another new investigation into allegations that the late actress was sexually assaulted. Despite their testimonies about sexual assault allegations, her colleague, actress Yoon Ji-oh and manager Yoo Jang-ho failed to pinpoint perpetrators and the exact times when the offenses had taken place. Yoo even reversed his statement. The probe committee did decide that a 2009 investigation was faulty overall, that crucial evidence was left omitted with records and searches performed perfunctorily. It added the local daily Chosun Ilbo had exerted its influence to thwart the investigation into the case.