Two folks have been arrested on costs of blackmailing Son Heung-min, one among 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 evening 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 yr and telling him that she was pregnant along with his little one. She was additionally accused of receiving $214,000 for her silence.
Mr. Son, 32, is captain of the British soccer group Tottenham Hotspur and is broadly thought-about one of many biggest Asian soccer gamers of all time. He’s vastly standard in his dwelling nation, the place the information media and followers eagerly observe 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 show 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 a statement saying that it had requested the South Korean police to analyze the pair on costs of blackmailing Mr. Son with “false claims.”
“We’d prefer to inform you that Son Heung-min is clearly the sufferer of this incident,” it stated. Nevertheless it additionally added that it “apologizes as soon as once more for worrying everybody supporting Son Heung-min with a scandalous situation.”
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 informed 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 isn’t identified whether or not Ms. Yang was actually pregnant final yr.
Mr. Son can also be captain of the South Korean nationwide group. He holds the file for probably the most targets 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 playing within the Premier League final week after a month’s layoff with a foot downside, and is more likely to play the Europa League remaining towards Manchester United on Wednesday.
