The Seoul Central District Court has handed down a stern verdict in the high-profile extortion case involving footballer Son Heung-min. A woman identified as Yang was sentenced to four years in prison yesterday, Monday, December 8, 2025, after being found guilty of blackmailing the South Korean superstar with a false pregnancy claim. This decision brings closure to a deeply distressing ordeal that caused the Los Angeles FC forward “considerable mental distress.”
The court heard that Yang successfully extorted 300 million Korean won (approximately £153,000) from Son in 2024 after sending him a fetal ultrasound and threatening to go public with the claim. The judge emphasized the severity of the crime, noting that the defendant had “lied” to Son without confirming the paternity of the child and had actively sought to exploit his high-profile status for financial gain.
The court also sentenced an accomplice, identified as Yong, to two years in prison for his involvement in the attempted extortion of a further 70 million won from the footballer earlier this year. It was this second attempt, which included threats to inform the media, that finally prompted the South Korean captain to report the matter to authorities, leading to the arrests and subsequent convictions.
The Son Heung-min Blackmail Sentence sends a clear message about the exploitation of public figures. The court’s statement underscored the psychological harm inflicted on Son, who was forced to appear as a witness in a closed trial session last month, marking the conclusion of a painful and public chapter for the celebrated player.
