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Footballer Hwang Ui-jo Receives Suspended Jail Sentence for Secretly Filming Int!mate Encounters
Former Nottingham Forest player Hwang Ui-jo has been handed a suspended jail sentence for filming s£xual encounters without consent, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported.
The 32-year-old South Korean international, who pleaded guilty in October, received a one-year prison sentence, suspended for two years.
“Given the severity of the social harm caused by illegal filming crimes, strict punishment is necessary,” Judge Lee Yong-je stated on Friday.
When asked by reporters if he had anything to say to the victim, Hwang simply responded, “I’m sorry.”
He also issued a broader apology, saying, “I sincerely apologize to football fans and deeply regret my actions.”
The Seoul Central District Court declined to confirm the ruling when contacted by AFP.
Scandal and Legal Proceedings
The controversy surfaced in June 2023 when Hwang’s sister-in-law leaked explicit private videos in an attempt to blackmail him. She has since been sentenced to three years in prison for blackmail.
Prosecutors had initially sought a four-year jail term for Hwang. However, the court considered his admission of guilt and remorse in deciding on a suspended sentence. Yonhap also reported that the court took into account the fact that a third party, rather than Hwang himself, had distributed the footage on social media.
Hwang was originally accused of illegally filming intimate moments with two victims on four occasions between June and September 2022. However, he was ultimately convicted on charges related to only one victim.
Impact on His Career
Hwang, who has earned over 60 caps for South Korea and currently plays for Turkish club Alanyaspor, initially denied the allegations before admitting to them in court.
His last international appearance was in 2023, and local reports suggest that his conviction may prevent him from representing South Korea again. The Korea Football Association’s regulations allow for expulsion in cases involving s£xual offenses.
