7-Year Prison Sentence Confirmed for Woman Who Extorted Kim Junsu

A woman identified as A, who extorted money from singer and musical actor Kim Junsu, has been sentenced to seven years in prison. The Supreme Court's third division upheld the original sentence, dismissing A's appeal against the conviction for extortion under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes. A had previously received the same sentence in both the first and second trials.

According to the court, A illegally recorded private conversations with Kim Junsu from September 2020 to October 2023 and threatened to release these recordings on social media. She extorted approximately 840 million won from him over 101 instances. The appellate court also ordered the confiscation of the mobile phone used in the crimes, citing the potential for further harm.

The judges noted that A had systematically exploited the victim's vulnerabilities to carry out her extortion over an extended period, causing Kim Junsu significant distress and impairing his daily life and economic activities.

In court, A claimed that her judgment was impaired due to an addiction to propofol at the time, but this defense was not accepted.

The case came to light after Kim Junsu filed a formal complaint. Initially, he had met A, who he believed was a nail artist, but later suffered from ongoing threats and demands for money.

Kim Junsu's agency, Palm Tree Island, stated that despite being a clear victim, he has faced misrepresentation and undue speculation regarding the case. They emphasized that the recordings used by A were merely private conversations without any misleading content, reiterating that Kim Junsu is unequivocally a victim in this situation.