South Korea police arrest two over Son Heung-min 'blackmail'

SEOUL - Two people have been arrested for allegedly blackmailing Spurs and South Korea captain Son Heung-min, police said Thursday.

The accused are a woman in her 20s and a man in his 40s, a spokesperson for the Korean National Police Agency said.

Tottenham Hotspur's South Korean striker Son Heung-Min takes part in a training session at at the Tottenham Hotspur Training Ground, in Enfield, north London, on May 12, 2025 during a media day ahead of their UEFA Europa League final against Manchester United. (Photo by Ben STANSALL/AFP)

The two allegedly tried to extort money from the 32-year-old forward by falsely claiming that the woman was pregnant with Son's child, Yonhap news agency said.

The footballer's agency, Son & Football Limited, said it filed a police complaint for blackmail and will pursue "strong legal action without leniency".

The two "threatened the player by saying they would spread false information", the agency alleged in a statement.

"We stress that Son Heung-min is unequivocally the victim in this case," it added.

Son recently vowed to "complete" his Tottenham career by leading the struggling Premier League team to Europa League glory in the final against Manchester United on May 21.

He has scored 173 goals in 451 appearances across 10 seasons in north London, but has come under pressure this year after a series of underwhelming displays. - AFP