A man has received a suspended prison term for blackmailing figure skater Kim Yu-na demanding that she not appear in a liquor advertisement, court officials said Wednesday.

The Seoul Central District Court sentenced the defendant, only identified by his surname Choi, to eight months in prison, suspended for two years.

Choi, 39, was found guilty of sending a total of 47 emails to the figure skating star between April and May 2012 threatening her safety if a beer TV commercial that she was in is aired.

"Heavy punishment is inevitable considering the psychological pain suffered by the victim," Judge Ryoo Jong-myeong said in his ruling, adding that Choi used expressions that have caused the vitim to suffer from anxiety and fear.

Kim, who seized gold at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, is one of the most beloved celebrities in the country and has appeared in multiple advertisements. (Yonhap News)