Police Seek Starlet's Extradition Over Jang Ja-yeon's Suicide

Police here have asked Canadian authorities to cooperate in questioning model and former actress Yoon Ji-oh, a friend of actress Jang Ja-yeon who committed suicide in 2009.

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Yoon has claimed to have witnessed various sexual abuses the late actress suffered but left for Canada earlier this year when her credibility was questioned due to inconsistencies in her testimony during police and media interviews.

Yoon appeared on several TV programs in early March claiming to have new information about events leading to Jang's suicide a decade ago. She claimed she feared for her life and even asked the public not to believe police accounts that she had committed suicide should she be found dead.

The performance led to an outpouring of public support and W140 million worth of donations to hire bodyguards to protect her (US$1=W1,181). Police also spent nearly W10 million to protect her at a safe house.

But soon Yoon found herself subject to a lawsuit on charges of defamation and fraud by a writer who had helped Yoon to publish a book about Jang's suicide and others who had been helping her.

She promptly fled to Canada and has not returned since. A police official said, "We intend to seek the cooperation of Canadian authorities to extradite her to Seoul". But she reportedly told to police that she is unable to come to Korea immediately citing health problems.

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