Woman in her 30s sentenced to 1 year in prison for extorting 30 million won

A woman in her 30s has been sentenced to one year in prison in her first trial for extorting 30 million won from her boyfriend, a public official, by falsely accusing him of sexual assault. The court ruled that the crime was very serious, citing the victim's significant financial loss and mental distress.

Judge Kim Hyun-ji of the Jeonju District Court's Criminal Division 6 sentenced 35-year-old A to one year in prison on charges of defamation, blackmail, and attempted blackmail. The court decided not to take A into custody immediately to allow her an opportunity to reconcile and compensate the victim. A received a prison sentence of one year.

A began dating her boyfriend, a public official named B, in 2021. Their conflict began in 2022 when B refused her proposal for marriage. A demanded 30 million won in compensation, claiming B had "taken her purity and then disappeared," and pressured him to pay 50 million won to end the relationship. B subsequently drafted a "marriage commitment letter" and transferred over 30 million won to A.

When B requested the money back, A threatened him again, referencing his public official status. A even contacted B's superior, demanding punitive action. During the investigation, A falsely claimed that B had sexually assaulted her. Ultimately, after B reported A for blackmail, A filed a false police report in December 2022 alleging sexual assault by B and provided false statements during the investigation.

The court, based on evidence such as call recordings and text messages, determined A's claims to be false. The court concluded that it was reasonable to consider A's report as a false accusation, despite having had a consensual relationship with the victim.

The court cited the seriousness of the defamation charge and A's lack of remorse as reasons for the sentence. However, it also considered that the sexual assault accusation did not lead to an actual criminal trial and that A was a first-time offender. These factors contributed to the decision to not take her into custody immediately.