Former Championship footballer Hwang Ui-jo faces a potential four-year prison sentence after illegally filming himself having sex without consent.
According to French outlet L’Équipe, Hwang is now facing the prospect of a four-year prison term after it was revealed he had filmed sexual encounters with two of his partners.
Prosecutors in the South Korean capital of Seoul alleged that Hwang filmed encounters on four different occasions between June and September in 2022.
The case against the forward emerged after his sister-in-law posted the footage on social media.
Hwang then sought to remove the videos and sued his sister-in-law for blackmail, which resulted in a three-year sentence for her.
However, the case against Hwang continued as he had filmed the videos illegally and without consent.
On Wednesday, he made his first court appearance in the South Korean capital, apologizing for the “disappointment” caused by his actions.
“I will not do anything wrong in the future and will do my best as a footballer,” he told the court.
“I sincerely apologize to the victims who have been affected by my actions, and I am deeply sorry for the disappointment I have caused to all those who have cared and supported me.”
The prosecution in the case has reportedly sought a four-year sentence for the player and appears unconvinced by the sincerity of Hwang’s remorse.
“Hwang may have admitted to the charges now, but his previous denials cast doubt on whether he is truly remorseful,” the prosecution said.
One of the victims refused to plea bargain and asked for a severe sentence.
No details were provided of the women who appeared in the videos without consent, given the illegal nature of their being recorded.
