Woman who blackmailed South Korean football star Son Heung-min jailed for four years
A South Korean court jailed a woman for four years for extorting football star Son Heung-min with false pregnancy claims, while her accomplice received two years. The pair attempted to blackmail Son for nearly 370 million won before he alerted authorities.
- A woman in her 20s was jailed for four years and a man in his 40s for two years for blackmailing Son Heung-min with false pregnancy claims.
- The pair extorted 300 million won in 2024 (S$265,000) and later attempted to extort an additional 70 million won (S$61,835) before being arrested in May 2025.
- The court found the woman had lied about the pregnancy and noted that Son, a high-profile athlete, suffered significant psychological distress.
SOUTH KOREA: A woman who blackmailed South Korean football superstar Son Heung-min has been sentenced to four years in prison, while her male accomplice received a two-year jail term, the Seoul Central District Court ruled on Monday (8 Dec).
The woman, identified only by her surname Yang and in her 20s, was convicted of blackmail after extorting 300 million won (S$265,000) from Son in 2024.
She had sent the Los Angeles Football Club forward a foetal ultrasound image and threatened to go public with claims that she was pregnant with his child, Yonhap News Agency reported.
Media reports stated that Yang spent the money on luxury and designer goods.
She had also allegedly targeted another man before turning to Son, proceeding with the scheme only after her initial attempt failed.
Between March and May 2025, Yang conspired with her ex-boyfriend, Yong—identified only by his surname and in his 40s—to demand a further 70 million won (S$61,835).
The pair threatened to inform Son’s family and the media about the supposed pregnancy and an alleged abortion.
Son reported the matter to the authorities, leading to their arrest in May.
The court found that Yang had “lied” to Son, noting that she had not confirmed whose child she was carrying at the time of the threats.
“The victim is a celebrity and vulnerable to crimes, and the defendants used this to take a large sum of money, which makes the crime of an egregious nature,” the judge said, adding that Son had suffered “considerable psychological pain.”
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