Actress's blackmailers sentenced
The former manager of actress Han Hyo-joo, of the film "Cold Eyes," has been sentenced to six months in jail and two years of probation for blackmailing and demanding 400 million won ($376,186) from the actress's father, according to the Seoul Central District Court Tuesday. The manager, surnamed Lee, asked for money in exchange for not distributing private photos of the actress in November.Two other men, Lee's accomplices, were also ordered to serve jail time, along with probation.
The court said it decided on the lighter ruling as the blackmailers admitted to all charges and because Han had settled with them.
The apparently controversial photos were of Han and her ex-boyfriend and were taken around five years ago. Lee copied the images saved in Han's digital camera onto his phone.
In November, Han asked local police to look into the case, claiming that she had not done anything she particularly wanted to hide.
"I will take strict measures as [they] are blackmailing me just because I'm a public figure," she said at the time.
After the police investigation, it was discovered that Lee organized the crime because he was having financial trouble.
By Jin Eun-soo [estyle@joongang.co.kr]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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