Reports from the Yonhap News Agency have revealed that South Korean soccer player Hwang Ui-jo has been handed a suspended one-year prison sentence after being found guilty of illegally recording his sexual encounters with a woman. The 32-year-old athlete, formerly associated with Norwich City and Nottingham Forest, currently plays for the Turkish club Alanyaspor. Additionally, Hwang is a regular member of the South Korea national team; however, he was suspended in 2023 in light of the serious allegations against him.
The Seoul court emphasized the adverse societal impact of unlawful recordings, stating that a strict punishment was necessary in Hwang’s case. Despite this, the court acknowledged his expression of regret and also noted that the incriminating videos were disseminated on social media by a third party. Hwang, appearing in court for the first time in December, conveyed his deep sorrow for causing disappointment.
The scandal unfolded when Hwang’s sister-in-law shared the videos on social media in June as part of an attempt to extort money from him. She was sentenced to three years in prison for the blackmail scheme after Hwang filed a lawsuit against her. However, legal proceedings continued against Hwang as prosecutors alleged that he had filmed sexual encounters with two women without their consent on four occasions in 2022. Initially claiming innocence, Hwang eventually pleaded guilty to the charges of illegal filming in October.
While he was found guilty in relation to one woman, he was acquitted of the charges involving the other. The prevalence of hidden cameras used for surreptitious recordings of women and their intimate moments is a widespread issue in South Korea, with thousands of individuals having been arrested over the past decade for engaging in voyeuristic activities. This troubling trend has caused fear and outrage among women throughout the country, prompting protests and calls for action to combat the dissemination of spy cam porn.
