Woman Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Blackmailing Son Heung-min

A South Korean court has convicted a woman surnamed Yang and sentenced her to four years in prison for attempting to blackmail Son Heung-min by falsely claiming she was pregnant with his child and demanding money in exchange for silence.

The court found that she had extorted a sum of 300 million won (approximately US $200,000) from the footballer in 2024 by sending him an ultrasound image and threatening to publicly reveal the alleged pregnancy.

In addition to Yang, a male accomplice, identified as Yong, was also convicted. He received a two-year prison term for attempted blackmail after collaborating in a second demand for further payment in 2025.

The court noted that Yang had never confirmed the paternity of the foetus, and had fabricated the pregnancy claim as leverage to exploit the player’s public profile.

The court described the crime as egregious, citing the exploitation of Son’s celebrity status and the “considerable psychological distress” inflicted on him. The ruling ends a prolonged and emotionally fraught ordeal for the player, who has maintained a reputation for professionalism both on and off the field.

Source: Reuters; Associated Press; South China Morning Post