South Korean woman faces 5 years in prison for faking pregnancy to blackmail Son Heung-min

By Hoang Nguyen November 30, 2025 | 11:21 pm PT

South Korean prosecutors have sought a five-year prison sentence for the main suspect in the Son Heung-min blackmail case, an alleged ex-girlfriend who used a false pregnancy claim to extort money from the LAFC star.

The request was made at the sentencing hearing on Nov. 27 at the Seoul Central District Court.

The initial extortion took place in June 2023, when the ex-girlfriend, identified as Yang, allegedly sent the player an ultrasound image and threatened to make the pregnancy public unless he paid 300 million won (around $230,000). Son complied, transferring the money out of concerns of reputational damage and Yang signed a non-disclosure agreement, Chosun Daily reported.

However, after splurging the money on luxury purchases, Yang teamed up with her partner, Yong, a man in his 40s, to attempt a second extortion. In March 2025, the pair demanded an additional 70 million won by threatening to reveal details of the pregnancy and subsequent abortion to the media and Son's family.

Son's legal team decided to file an extortion complaint and the two were arrested shortly after that.

Son Heung-min during a game for Tottenham Hotspur. Photo by AP

Yong, who admitted his actions and cooperated with the investigation, faces a requested sentence of two years.

In court, prosecutors strongly rejected Yang's defense, emphasizing her actions were a "premeditated scheme targeting Son Heung-min after failing to extort money from other men." Yang reportedly demanded money from another man, but after failing to do so, she switched to Son.

"Yang is portraying herself as a victim, claiming the money was compensation, but her account doesn’t fully match the facts," prosecutors said, as quoted by JoongAng Daily. "This was a meticulously planned crime, serious in nature, and likely caused significant psychological distress to the victim."

Son, who filed the complaint in May 2025, testified in a closed-door hearing on Nov. 19, reportedly in a separate space from Yang to prevent direct confrontation.

The first sentencing hearing is scheduled for Dec. 8.

Son, 33, is considered South Korea's most iconic footballer and is widely regarded as the greatest Asian football player of all time, having played for Bayer Leverkusen and Tottenham Hotspur, winning the Europa League with the latter. He currently plays for LAFC in the MLS.

In 2022, he made history by becoming the first Asian player to win the Premier League Golden Boot, sharing the honor with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.