7-Year Prison Sentence Requested for Two Individuals Involved in Lee Seon-kyun Blackmail Case

The prosecution has requested a seven-year prison sentence for two individuals, including a manager of an entertainment establishment, who were charged with blackmailing the late actor Lee Seon-kyun (이선균) for 300 million KRW. During a sentencing hearing held on November 25 at the Incheon District Court, presided over by Judge Kwak Yeo-san, the prosecution argued that the manager, identified as A (30, female), and a former actress, B (29, female), had committed their crimes in a premeditated manner, taking advantage of the victim's celebrity status.

The prosecution stated, "A exploited the fact that the victim is a public figure by purchasing a burner phone and orchestrating the crime. Given the severity of the case, a harsh punishment is unavoidable."

In her final defense, A's lawyer contended that A was not the one who blackmailed Lee, but rather that B had psychologically manipulated A into extorting money from Lee's acquaintances. A also expressed in her final statement that she wanted to resolve the situation quickly to protect Lee, stating, "I had no intention of threatening someone I admired."

B's lawyer acknowledged that B accepted most of the blame and had shown remorse during her time in custody. B herself expressed sincere apologies to the victim, stating, "I will live my life with a heart full of regret."

The sentencing for both individuals is scheduled for December 19 at the Incheon District Court.

A was arrested and charged last September for calling Lee and claiming that her phone had been hacked and that she needed money to silence the threats. Following police investigations, it was revealed that the hacker who had threatened A was B, who, after failing to extort money from A, demanded 100 million KRW from Lee in October, successfully obtaining 50 million KRW.

Additionally, A has a criminal record with six previous offenses, including drug-related charges, and was already in custody for illegal drug use, having received a one-year prison sentence last month.