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Ex-TVXQ's Kim Junsu wins as extortion culprit gets 7-year imprisonment in 840 million KRW scam
The previous trial court ruling regarding Kim Junsu's extortioner was sustained in the final ruling, with Kim Junsu winning the suit. Know more.
A 30-something female BJ, referred to as A, was convicted of extorting large sums from K-pop artist Kim Junsu. After two trials, she was sentenced to 7 years in prison, under the Specific Economic Crimes Aggravated Punishment Act. She re-appealed the verdict, and, as per the latest updates by K-media outlet Star News on June 24, the court ultimately upheld the original sentence. Kim Junsu has now officially won the case.
About Kim Junsu's extortion case
The 10-1 Criminal Division (Na) of the Seoul High Court maintained the 7-year prison sentence for BJ A, on the grounds of extorting around 800 million KRW (600,000 USD) from former TVXQ member Kim Junsu. She threatened to leak private conversations on as many as 101 occasions, between September 2020 and October 2023. During the second trial held last month, the court cited the punishment order to be based on evidence and the severity of her crime.
Among the evidence submitted by the prosecution, there was a recorded blackmail call. The duration, contents, and impact of the call on the victim's mental health, made the Supreme Court label the crime as "extremely serious." As part of the ruling, A's mobile phone was also ordered to be confiscated to prevent potential further harm. As the final verdict went against the BJ too, she reflected on herself and sought forgiveness for her crimes.
The defendant apologized for blackmailing Kim Junsu
"I sincerely apologize to the victim who was hurt and suffered because of me," A said. She mentioned being "addicted to propofol" due to her severe depression, insomnia, and panic disorder, leading to her resorting to the unlawful means of money extortion. She mentioned, "I caused the victim a lot of damage mentally and financially" and wrote letters of apology to Kim Junsu.
She continued, "I swear that I will never cause the same damage to the victim again, even if it means risking my life." Regarding her life after she comes out of jail, she reveals plans of getting a nursing license and helping cancer patients like her father.
