» Jang Ja-yeon‘s family members hold her memorial service at a temple in Jeongeup located in the North Jeolla Province on April 24, while the police work to uncover the results of investigation in the Jang Ja-yeon list.

Yesterday Police announced the results of their interim investigation into Jang Ja-yeon's suicide. The circumstances surrounding the 29-year-old actress’s unexpected death have been generating controversies that she might have been forced to provide sexual and other favors to influential persons in the entertainment and media industry. Although it was confirmed that Jang did wait on tables, police have cleared the president of a leading local newspaper of any charges, prompting criticism that the results of the probe so far have only provided the media tycoon with a “clean bill of health.”

All eyes and ears have been fixed on the police conduct of the investigation in regards to handling matters relating to the president in question. His name was found in Jang’s suicide note and he was named in a civil suit by the Jang family for allegedly violating an anti-sex trade law.

Despite lingering suspicions, police have cleared the president of any charges. This decision comes in a stark contrast with the move to suspend investigations of other suspects until Jang’s former agent, Kim, is taken into custody. Kim is reportedly staying in Japan.

Police are basing the decision on analysis of Kim’s phone call records, confirmation of the president’s alibi, and questioning of the media head. However, given that it is unlikely that an entertainment representative calls a newspaper president directly, the police explanation that its conclusion is based on phone call records is not persuasive. Also the alibi that police confirmed is not enough to clear him of charges as the time in question was based on Kim’s diary record that showed that he was scheduled to meet the media representative for lunch.

Police also cannot avoid criticism for reportedly probing the newspaper president just a day before the scheduled announcement at a place and time when he wanted. They have declined to confirm when and where the questioning took place. “It is usual to call in a person to the police station when he or she is accused of violating the anti-sex trading law,” a police official said on condition anonymity.

Police have given an impression that they have carried out a “customary” investigation into the allegations against the newspaper president and cleared him of all related charges. In particular, police have closed the door to any further investigation although questioning Kim, who is at the center of the whole scandal, has not yet been conducted. When police launched the probe into Jang’s death, they said every effort would be made to clarify all suspicions, but have failed to make good on the promise in lagging their feet on arresting Kim who may be key in explaining why the actress committed suicide. The police are protecting and helping suspects. Now the ball is in the prosecution’s court but it is becoming worrisome that the 40-day investigation that started with promise could end up with little tangible outcome.

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