Extortion Scandal: South Korean Woman Jailed for Targeting Soccer Star Son Heung-min

A South Korean woman, Yang, was sentenced to four years for extorting money from soccer player Son Heung-min, claiming to be pregnant with his child. A male accomplice received a two-year sentence. The court highlighted Son's fame and vulnerability in the crime, causing him mental distress.

In a high-profile extortion case, a South Korean court sentenced a woman to four years in prison for extorting money from Son Heung-min, captain of the national soccer team and Major League Soccer player. The woman, identified only by her surname Yang, falsely claimed to be pregnant with Son's child.

Yang, in her 20s, received 300 million won from Son in exchange for her silence, threatening to make her deceitful pregnancy claims public. She later attempted to extort an additional 70 million won. A male accomplice, in his 40s, was also convicted for conspiring in the scheme and was sentenced to two years.

The Seoul Central District Court underscored the impact of Son's public profile and susceptibility to such crimes, which inflicted significant mental suffering on him. Yang failed to verify the identity of her alleged child's father, the court noted. Attempts to contact Son's representatives and the public affairs judge for further comments were unsuccessful.

(With inputs from agencies.)