This photo is not directly relevant to the story. (123rf)
This photo is not directly relevant to the story. (123rf)

A woman convicted of blackmailing footballer Son Heung-min over a pregnancy claim has lost her appeal, with the court upholding her four-year prison sentence.

According to the criminal appellate division of the Seoul Central District Court on Wednesday, the woman in her 20s, surnamed Yang, was found guilty of extortion and attempted extortion.

Prosecutors said Yang, who was previously in a relationship with Son, blackmailed him in 2024 using an ultrasound image of a fetus, threatening to make the claim public. She allegedly received 300 million won ($203,000) from the player.

She later conspired with her then-boyfriend, a man in his 40s surnamed Yong, to demand an additional 70 million won, though the attempt was unsuccessful.

Yong was sentenced to two years in prison as an accomplice, with the same sentence upheld on appeal.

In the initial ruling, the court said the 300 million won payment was too large to be considered compensation related to an abortion under social norms. It also pointed to the seriousness of the crime, noting that the victim’s status as a high-profile celebrity made him particularly vulnerable to such schemes.

During the final hearing, Yang apologized to Son and denied attempting to extort the additional 70 million won. However, the appellate court upheld the lower court’s finding that she was guilty of attempted extortion.


forestjs@heraldcorp.com