Two folks have been arrested on costs of blackmailing Son Heung-min, considered one of South Korea’s most well-known sports activities figures, with paternity claims, the police stated on Sunday.
A South Korean girl in her 20s was jailed on Saturday night time after the Seoul Central District Court docket issued a warrant for her arrest on a blackmailing cost. She was accused of sending Mr. Son an ultrasound picture in June final 12 months and telling him that she was pregnant together with his baby. She was additionally accused of receiving $214,000 for her silence.
Mr. Son, 32, is captain of the British soccer staff Tottenham Hotspur and is broadly thought-about one of many biggest Asian soccer gamers of all time. He’s vastly common in his residence nation, the place the information media and followers eagerly comply with his performances in England’s Premier League.
Additionally jailed on Saturday was a South Korean man in his 40s, who was accused of approaching Mr. Son in March with a menace to reveal the scandal if Mr. Son didn’t pay him $50,000.
The court docket issued arrest warrants for the couple on Saturday, calling them flight dangers.
On Thursday, Mr. Son’s company issued an announcement saying that it had requested the South Korean police to research the pair on costs of blackmailing Mr. Son with “false claims.”
“We’d wish to inform you that Son Heung-min is clearly the sufferer of this incident,” it stated. However it additionally added that it “apologizes as soon as once more for worrying everybody supporting Son Heung-min with a scandalous difficulty.”
When the girl, recognized solely by her surname, Yang, was led in handcuffs right into a courthouse on for a listening to on Saturday, she didn’t reply questions from journalists, together with whether or not Mr. Son had impregnated her. The person, additionally recognized solely by his surname, Yong, didn’t reply to questions both.
However Ms. Yang later advised reporters that she was not an confederate in Mr. Yong’s alleged try to extort cash from Mr. Son. Mr. Yong didn’t remark.
The police have stated that the 2 suspects have been acquainted, with out giving additional particulars.
It’s not identified whether or not Ms. Yang was in reality pregnant final 12 months.
Mr. Son can be captain of the South Korean nationwide staff. He holds the file for probably the most objectives scored by a Korean participant in a season in a European league. He was additionally the primary Asian participant to win the Premier League’s Golden Boot.
Mr. Quickly returned to taking part in within the Premier League final week after a month’s layoff with a foot downside, and is prone to play the Europa League closing in opposition to Manchester United on Wednesday.