- Prosecutors have requested 7-year prison terms for the two women who blackmailed Lee Sun-kyun before his death last year.
- The prosecution described the women’s crimes as “grave and immoral” and “meticulously planned.”
- Lee Sun-kyun, who rose to worldwide fame for his role in the film “Parasite,” ended his own life in December of last year.
Prosecutors have requested sentencing for two women who blackmailed late actor Lee Sun-kyun out of 350 million KRW ($248,000) in 2023.
At the criminal trial held on the 25th of November, prosecutors sought 7-year prison terms for nightclub manager A (30) and former actress B (29). The pair were indicted on charges of extortion for coercing Lee out of 300 million KRW and 50 million KRW, respectively.
According to prosecutors, “Defendant A had meticulously planned her crime by purchasing burner phones, etc., with the intention of exploiting the fact that the victim was a celebrity,” going on to describe the nature of the crime as, “grave and immoral.”
In September of last year, Defendant A, who was close with Lee at the time, asked the actor for 300 million KRW after claiming that her phone had been hacked and she was being blackmailed as a result. Defendant B threatened Lee separately and received 50 million KRW.
The two defendants were close friends at the time of the crime, leading A to share her celebrity connections with B. It was later discovered that B had impersonated an anonymous hacker to blackmail Defendant A.
Defendant A‘s lawyers asserted their client’s innocence by attempting to frame her as a victim of Defendant B‘s gaslighting. “Defendant B, who has committed numerous crimes in the past, manipulated and threatened A,” they said.
A was tearful during her final statements at court, stating that she had been blackmailed by B as soon as the latter discovered that A shared a friendship with Lee.
“I cared deeply for him,” A said. “All I wanted was to pay [the blackmailer] the money to protect Lee. I never thought of blackmailing him.” She further claimed that she believed the hacker had seen all the contents of her phone, and so had sought to prepare Lee for any scenario which might arise.
“Even when I sent him the texts asking for the payment, B was advising me,” A continued.
Soon after the extortion, Lee was booked by police following allegations of drug use until his suicide last December. The police were widely criticized at the time of his death for continuously leaking information to the press, which resulted in a media frenzy and a witch hunt of the actor on internet communities.
“I never thought things would escalate to this degree,” A said. “I regret and apologize.”
Defendant B admitted to all charges during the trial and was likewise handed a 7-year sentence. Her lawyer appealed for leniency, telling the judge that, “The defendant admitted most of her wrongdoing halfway through the investigation and has testified truthfully. She is reflecting on her wrongdoing while in prison.”
The sentencing hearing will take place on the 19th of next month.
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