A South Korean court has sentenced a woman to four years in prison after she was found guilty of orchestrating a calculated blackmail scheme against global football icon Son Heung-min. The ruling, delivered by the Seoul Central District Court, brings an end to a months-long case that drew widespread attention both within South Korea and across the international football community.
The woman, identified by local media only as Yang, is in her twenties. Prosecutors revealed that she approached Son in 2024 claiming she was pregnant with his child. To reinforce the deception, she sent him a fetal ultrasound image and portrayed herself as emotionally distressed.
Investigators later discovered that although Yang had indeed been pregnant and undergone an abortion, she never confirmed who the father was. Despite this uncertainty, she demanded money from Son, threatening to expose the alleged pregnancy publicly if he failed to comply. Under pressure, Son transferred 300 million won (approximately US $200,000) to her.
According to reports, Yang immediately spent the money on luxury and designer items, including high-end fashion accessories. However, the scheme did not end there. Facing financial trouble after exhausting the extorted funds, Yang teamed up with an accomplice, a man in his forties identified as Yong, in an attempt to squeeze even more money from the football star.
Together, the pair threatened to go public with details of the supposed pregnancy and abortion, pressuring Son for an additional 70 million won. After repeated harassment, Son decided earlier this year to report the matter to the police, triggering a full investigation that uncovered the deliberate and sustained nature of the extortion.
During the trial, prosecutors argued that Yang had “planned the crime thoroughly” and noted that she had previously attempted a similar scheme on another man before targeting Son. The accomplice, Yong, was found to have threatened Son at least 15 times in the course of the extortion attempt.
The court ruled that both individuals exploited Son’s public image and status for personal gain, causing him significant psychological distress. In delivering the verdict, the judge said the defendants had “abused the victim’s vulnerability as a celebrity,” noting that the case had led to “intense mental anguish” for the footballer, especially after the matter became public.
Yang was sentenced to four years in prison for blackmail and attempted extortion, while Yong received a two-year jail term for his role in the scheme. This case has sparked considerable discussion in South Korea, with many expressing concern over how easily public figures can become targets of manipulated scandals.
For Son Heung-min, widely regarded as one of Asia’s greatest football talents, the case marks a deeply personal ordeal during a pivotal phase of his career. The 33-year-old captain of South Korea’s national team and former Tottenham Hotspur forward made headlines earlier this year when he joined Los Angeles Football Club in Major League Soccer (MLS).
Son was also recently listed as the second-highest-paid player in MLS, underscoring his growing commercial and athletic value.
