South Korean court jails woman for blackmailing football star, Son Heung-min

A court in South Korea has sentenced a woman to four years in prison for blackmailing footballer Son Heung-min. 

The woman, said to be in her 20s, was accused of falsely claiming she was pregnant with Son’s child. The Court also convicted a man in his 40s who worked with her.

According to reports from a Seoul district court, the woman approached Son last year and told him she was expecting a child. She later demanded money and threatened to reveal the claim publicly. She was found to have taken 300 million won ($200,000; £153,000), which she spent mainly on luxury items, according to AFP.

During proceedings, prosecutors said her narrative was misleading, noting that “her claims do not fully match the facts” and alleging that the scheme was planned.

Her accomplice, linked to 15 separate threats made to Son, received a two-year sentence for attempted blackmail. Son reported the matter to the police earlier this year after more demands were made.

The court ruled that the pair exploited Son’s public image and caused him distress once the story surfaced. The judge noted that the footballer faced “intense mental anguish”.

Son has recently continued his career in the United States. He joined Los Angeles Football Club in August after ten years with Tottenham, in what became the most expensive signing in MLS history. He was also listed in October as the second-highest-paid player in Major League Soccer.

Son remains one of Asia’s most successful footballers, with a large following in South Korea and beyond. In 2022, he made history while still at Tottenham by becoming the first Asian player to win the Premier League Golden Boot. 

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