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South Korean footballer Hwang Ui-jo has publicly apologized for secretly recording sexual encounters with his partners. Prosecutors stated that the 31-year-old striker filmed intimate moments with two of his partners without their consent on four occasions between June and September 2022, the BBC reported.
According to the Korea Times, prosecutors demanded a four-year prison term for the footballer.
During his first court appearance in Seoul on Wednesday, Mr Hwang expressed remorse, stating he was “deeply sorry” for causing “disappointment.”
Last month, Mr Hwang departed from England’s Nottingham Forest to join Turkey’s Alanyaspor.
The recordings came to light when Mr Hwang’s sister-in-law posted them on social media last June as part of an attempt to blackmail him. She was later sentenced to three years in prison in September after Hwang filed a lawsuit against her.
Despite the blackmail case, prosecutors continued to pursue charges against Hwang for illegally filming the videos. They declined to release information about the women involved to avoid causing further harm.
In court, Hwang stated, “I will not do anything wrong in the future and will do my best as a footballer.”
He added, “I sincerely apologize to the victims affected by my actions, and I am deeply sorry for the disappointment I have caused to everyone who has supported me.”
The sentencing date for Mr Hwang was slated for December 18, 2024.
