"'Investigate Son Heung-min's Former Agent Thoroughly on Fraud Allegations,' His Father Son Woong-jung Files Petition With Police"

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[The Financial News] Son Woong-jung, the father of national football team star Son Heung-min, is reported to have filed a petition with police calling for a thorough investigation and the detention of Son's former agent, who has been accused of fraud under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes.
Jang, Son Heung-min's former agent, was recently found in a civil lawsuit to have deceived investors by making them believe he had exclusive control over Son's advertising and portrait rights. He was ordered to pay back unpaid stock purchase money and other sums to investors. Police are reportedly investigating Jang after booking him.
Hankook Ilbo reported on the matter on the 24th after obtaining a five-page petition that Son Woong-jung submitted to the Financial Crime Investigation Team of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Metropolitan Investigation Unit on the 23rd of last month.
In the petition, Son opened by saying, "I have lived my life knowing nothing but football, so I feel deeply embarrassed and sorry to be submitting this letter to an investigator."
He also argued that "the company with exclusive and sole agency rights over Son Heung-min has been Son & Football Limited since 2013 to the present," adding that "because Son & Football Limited has been operating properly, there was no need to sign an exclusive agency contract with Jang's side." He said he never signed any document transferring Son Heung-min's advertising or portrait rights to Jang.
The petition reportedly says that Jang told Son Heung-min, "We are family. What kind of contract is there between us? There is no such thing as a contract," while telling investors, "I am Son Heung-min's exclusive agent" and "I can directly use Son Heung-min's image and close every deal myself," thereby attracting large investments.
Son appealed, saying, "I have never once thought about entrusting Son Heung-min's rights to anyone else." He added, "I cannot stand by and watch Jang's behavior, which misleads innocent athletes. To prevent any further victims, I sincerely ask that you secure Jang, conduct a thorough investigation, and show the severity of the law."
At the end of last year, A, the head of a content production company in Seoul, filed a complaint against Jang with Seoul Gangnam Police Station, saying he had not received 1.1 billion won out of about 5.8 billion won in acquisition payments.
According to the complaint, Jang, who had represented Son Heung-min's domestic activities for more than 10 years, presented an 'exclusive agent agreement' in 2019 while selling all of his shares in Sports United, the company he headed, to A. He explained that he "exclusively holds all rights to commercially use or authorize the use of Son Heung-min's domestic and overseas advertising contracts, portrait rights, and more."
A decided to buy the shares after trusting the contract and paid part of the purchase price.
After learning of the matter later, Son Heung-min's side ended its partnership with Jang in November of that year and stated that "there is no contractual relationship whatsoever between Sports United and Son Heung-min."
In 2024, the court also ruled that "it is difficult to conclude that Jang held exclusive rights concerning Son Heung-min."
In a recent lawsuit filed by A seeking repayment of his investment, the court also determined that Jang's explanation to A, claiming he held exclusive rights over Son Heung-min, constituted "an affirmative act of deception as the notification of false facts."
Based on that court ruling, A filed another criminal complaint against Jang with Seoul Gangnam Police Station.
The Financial Crime Investigation Division of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Metropolitan Investigation Unit, which took over the case from Seoul Gangnam Police Station, summoned Jang for questioning last month. The agency is examining whether the exclusive agent agreement was actually drawn up and whether Jang deceived investors.
y27k@fnnews.com Seoyoon Kyung Reporter