SEOUL: A South Korean court has sentenced a woman to four years in prison for attempting to blackmail renowned footballer Son Heung-min.
The woman, identified by her family name Yang and aged between 20 and 30, was accused of demanding 300 million won (approximately PKR 20 crore) from the star in 2024.
According to prosecutors, Yang sent Son an alleged ultrasound image claiming she was pregnant with his child, threatening to publicly make the claim if the money was not paid. She reportedly spent the funds on luxury goods.
In the same case, another suspect, identified as Young, received a two-year prison sentence for attempted blackmail.
Both suspects had been in custody since May 2025. Prosecutors stated that earlier this year, Yang and Young tried to extort an additional 70 million won from Son Heung-min, prompting the footballer to report the matter to authorities, leading to their arrest.
Earlier, Morocco and Paris Saint-Germain star Achraf Hakimi has been named the African Footballer of the Year.
At the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards, Hakimi was shortlisted alongside Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen.
According to reports, Hakimi has scored a total of 61 career goals, including 27 goals for Paris Saint-Germain. Despite suffering an injury to his left foot, he stepped onto the stage to personally receive the award, saying that winning this trophy is a great honor for him.
