South Korean footballer Hwang Ui-jo has issued an apology for secretly recording intimate encounters with his partners.
Prosecutors revealed that the 31-year-old striker illegally filmed his sexual encounters with two women on four occasions between June and September 2022, without their consent.
During his first court appearance in Seoul on Wednesday, Hwang expressed remorse, saying he was “deeply sorry” for causing “disappointment.”
Last month, Hwang left England’s Nottingham Forest to join Turkey’s Alanyaspor.
The recordings surfaced after Hwang’s sister-in-law shared them on social media in June as part of an attempt to blackmail him.
She was sentenced to three years in prison for blackmail in September after Hwang filed a lawsuit against her.
Despite this, the charges against Hwang proceeded, as prosecutors confirmed that the videos were recorded illegally. They withheld details about the women involved to protect their privacy.
“I will not do anything wrong in the future and will do my best as a footballer,” Hwang told the court in Seoul.
“I sincerely apologise 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,” he added.