South Korean footballer’s sister-in-law sentenced to jail for online blackmail over explicit videos

Footballer Hwang Ui-jo accused of filming sex tape with ex-girlfriend without her consent

Hwang Ui-jo Norwich City celebrates after scoring the team’s second goal during the Sky Bet Championship match between Watford and Norwich City at Vicarage Road in 2023 (Getty Images)

The sister-in-law of a South Korean footballer was sentenced to three years in jail for sharing private videos of the player online to blackmail him.

Hwang Ui-jo’s sister-in-law, who was not named, shared the videos despite “knowing it would be disseminated indiscriminately”, the Seoul Central District Court said in a verdict, according to Yonhap news agency.

“The content has been widely distributed in and out of South Korea … the nature of her crime is very serious,” the court said.

The video leak sparked a separate investigation into the Nottingham Forest star who was accused of filming a sex tape with his ex-girlfriend without her consent.

The 31-year-old forward denied the allegations while prosecutors are yet to formally charge him.

The defendant pretended to be his estranged girlfriend as she released the video.

She strongly denied the charges against her right up to the trial and said her phone was possibly hacked but later submitted a letter to the judges and conceded to have committed the crime.

The defendant alleged that Hwang had relationships with many women at one time, including celebrities, and dumped them later.

Hwang of Norwich City shoots but misses during the Sky Bet Championship match between Norwich City and Birmingham City at Carrow Road (Getty Images)

The court, acknowledging Hwang’s plea for clemency and the defendant’s admission of the crime, issued a three-year sentence – one year less than what prosecutors demanded.

In her final testimony, she said: “I have caused great harm to the victims and I sincerely regret what I have done”.

Hwang was suspended by the Korea Football Association from playing in the national squad pending the result of the investigation into the allegations of illegal filming.

"We have decided not to select Hwang Ui-jo for the national team until a clear conclusion is reached on the facts”, the statement said.

He also stayed out of the Asian Cup in Qatar following the suspension.