Actress suicide prompts S. Korean efforts

SEOUL, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- Police in South Korea said Sunday that online defamation will be targeted following the recent suicide of actress Choi Jin-sil.

National Police Agency officials said after the popular South Korean actress was found hanged in her Seoul home last week, 900 investigators will be assigned to prevent false rumors from being posted on the Internet, the Yonhap News Agency reported.

Police have alleged Choi committed suicide while stressed by a series of false Internet stories about her life.

Jeong Joon-ho, who appeared with Choi in the series "The Last Scandal of My Life," told police Choi had been distressed by the Internet chatter about her.

"She said she was upset by the rumors. I told her not to fret over them, and that she has faced (similar rumors) before. They will be forgotten in time," Jeong said.

Yonhap said the month-long investigation will focus on malicious Internet rumors.