Seoul: An appeals court on Wednesday upheld prison terms for a woman and a man for blackmailing football star Son Heung-min with pregnancy claims. The Seoul Central District Court's appeals division upheld a lower ruling last December that sentenced the 20-something woman, surnamed Yang, to four years in prison, and the 40-something man, surnamed Yong, to two years.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the bench dismissed the defendants' appeals, ruling that the sentences cannot be seen as excessive. Yang faced charges of blackmail and attempted blackmail after extorting 300 million won (US$203,000) from Son of Los Angeles Football Club in June 2024 by sending him an ultrasound image of a baby and threatening to reveal her alleged pregnancy.

Later, between March and May of the previous year, Yang and Yong collaborated in an attempt to extort another 70 million won from Son. They threatened to disclose her pregnancy and subsequent abortion to his family and the press. Yong was specifically charged with attempted blackmail.