Son Heung-min's Threatening Woman May Face More Severe Sentence Than Ex-Boyfriend... "I Don't Care Whose Child It Is"

[Financial News] A woman who demanded a large sum of money from soccer player Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur) using pregnancy as a pretext may face more severe punishment than her ex-boyfriend, who was identified as an accomplice, according to expert analysis.

On the 26th, lawyer Kim Min-hye appeared on YTN Radio's 'Lee Won-hwa Lawyer's Case X-File' and explained the legal issues to consider when the case goes to trial.

Lawyer Kim explained, "'Extortion' does not mean lying, but rather making someone scared through assault or threats to obtain money," adding, "Therefore, whether Ms. A was actually pregnant, whether she had an abortion, whether the photo is of her fetus, or whether it is Son's child is irrelevant. If she intimidated by threatening to expose the pregnancy and received 300 million won, it constitutes extortion."

Regarding the legal validity of the confidentiality agreement written by Son Heung-min and Ms. A, he said, "If the agreement includes 'I will not disclose,' 'I will not contact,' 'I will not raise legal issues,' 'I will not interview with the media,' there have been many cases where legal validity was recognized for those parts."

However, he noted, "The part stating 'without a deadline until death, and setting compensation at 3 billion won, ten times the amount' may not be valid," but emphasized, "This is only a civil validity issue, and it does not affect the evidential ability of the extortion threat in criminal court."

Regarding the possibility that Ms. A's side might claim, "(Receiving the money) was not a threat but an agreement," lawyer Kim said, "If she asked for money as compensation for physical and mental recovery after an abortion, it could be a settlement or agreement. However, if there was a threat to expose the pregnancy, and the other party felt psychological pressure and paid money to Ms. A, it could constitute extortion."

Regarding Mr. B, the ex-boyfriend accused of attempted extortion, he analyzed, "Since Mr. B has a similar criminal record, if he conspired with Ms. A to threaten Son Heung-min systematically, it would be a joint principal offender of extortion, which could lead to heavier punishment."

He added, "If considered as separate individual acts (not as accomplices), Mr. B's case might result in probation since he did not actually receive money and it was an attempt, depending on the facts. If it is revealed that Ms. A knew it was not Son's child or used fabricated photos, she could face more severe punishment than Mr. B."

Previously, Son Heung-min's former lover, a woman in her 20s known as Ms. A, was arrested and sent to the prosecution on the 22nd for extorting 300 million won by threatening to expose her pregnancy with an ultrasound photo in June last year.

Mr. B, a man in his 40s who learned of the threat while dating Ms. A, was also arrested and sent to the prosecution on the same day for attempted extortion after approaching Son Heung-min's side in March and attempting to receive 70 million won.

Earlier, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office received the case from the police on the 22nd and assigned it to the Criminal Division 3 (Chief Prosecutor Choi Soon-ho) to start a follow-up investigation.

hsg@fnnews.com Han Seung-gon Reporter