Son Heung-min Responds to Blackmail Scandal Involving False Pregnancy Claim (Full Statement)

Son Heung-min (33), captain of the South Korean national football team and star forward for Tottenham Hotspur, has taken legal action against individuals who allegedly attempted to blackmail him using a false pregnancy claim. On May 15, Son's agency, Son & Football Limited, released an official statement confirming that a criminal complaint had been filed.

“We have reported a group of individuals to the police for blackmail, after they attempted to threaten our player with false claims,” the agency announced via its official website. “We will pursue strong legal action with no leniency against those responsible for this clear case of extortion and defamation.”

The statement emphasized: “Son Heung-min is clearly the victim in this matter. We sincerely apologize to all the fans who support him for the distress caused by this unfortunate incident.”

According to reports from Yonhap News Agency and other media outlets, the Gangnam Police Station in Seoul received the complaint on May 7 and is currently investigating a woman in her 20s and a man in his 40s for alleged blackmail.

It is reported that the individuals claimed the woman was pregnant in June 2024 and used the fabricated story in an attempt to extort billions of Korean won from Son.

Police are conducting a full investigation into the details surrounding the case.

As the scandal unfolds, concerns are rising about the psychological toll this may have on Son, who is set to play in the UEFA Europa League final next week. With the match scheduled for May 22, the stakes are especially high as Son eyes his first-ever championship win since turning pro. According to Kookmin Ilbo, a source close to Son stated, “We are concerned that this will have a negative impact on him ahead of the Europa League final.”

Official statement from Son & Football Limited (full text):

Hello, this is Son & Football Limited.

We would like to provide our position regarding recent media reports involving Son Heung-min.

Son & Football Limited has filed a police complaint against a group that attempted to blackmail our player by threatening to spread false information. As the case is currently under investigation, we will share updates once the results are available.

We stress that Son Heung-min is the clear victim in this matter. We will take firm legal action with no leniency against those who committed this extortion using false claims.

We apologize once again for the concern and distress this has caused to everyone who supports Son Heung-min.

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