Seoul: A woman and a man received prison sentences for blackmailing renowned football star Son Heung-min with false pregnancy claims. The Seoul Central District Court sentenced the woman, identified by her surname Yang and in her twenties, to four years in prison. Her former boyfriend, surnamed Yong and in his forties, was sentenced to two years.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Yang was convicted of blackmail and attempted blackmail after extorting 300 million won (approximately US$204,000) from Son, who plays for Los Angeles Football Club. The incident occurred in June of the previous year when Yang sent Son an ultrasound image, falsely claiming she was pregnant with his child and threatening to disclose the information.

Investigations revealed that Yang initially targeted another man with her blackmail scheme, but he did not respond, leading her to approach Son. Between March and May of the current year, Yang and Yong attempted to extort an additional 70 million won from Son by threatening to expose her alleged pregnancy and abortion to his family and the media.

Yong faced charges of attempted blackmail. The court highlighted that Yang never verified the paternity of the alleged pregnancy. The bench remarked, "The victim is a celebrity and vulnerable to crimes, and the defendants used this to take a large sum of money, which makes the crime of an egregious nature."

The court also noted that Son endured "considerable psychological pain" due to the blackmail attempt.