A Seoul court has sentenced a woman to four years behind bars for attempting to blackmail South Korean football icon Son Heung-min.
The defendant, referred to in court documents as Yang, was convicted of extorting approximately 300 million won from the athlete in 2024. Prosecutors detailed that she had sent Son an ultrasound image, falsely claiming the unborn child was his, and demanded payment to keep the matter private.
The plot later expanded to include a male accomplice, identified as Yong, with whom she conspired to seek additional funds from the player. While Yang maintained her innocence, denying charges of extortion and attempted extortion, her co-conspirator confessed to his role. Yong received a two-year prison sentence.
In its ruling, the Seoul Central District Court stated that Yang had deceived the footballer, noting she had never verified the paternity of the child she was carrying.
Son Heung-min, 33, is widely regarded as one of Asia’s finest footballers. After a celebrated decade with Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League, he transferred to Los Angeles FC in Major League Soccer last August for a record fee. He has since made a strong start with his new club, netting 12 goals in 13 appearances.
Authorities had initially detained the suspects—a woman in her twenties and a man in his forties—last year on allegations of attempting the blackmail while Son was still under contract with Tottenham.