Prosecutors have demanded a one-and-a-half-year prison sentence for the 70-year-old mother of singer Jang Yoon Jeong, surnamed Yook, who is accused of swindling tens of millions of won from an acquaintance.

During the first hearing held today before Judge Seo Beom-jun of Criminal Division 2 at the Seoul Eastern District Court, prosecutors asked the court to hand down the prison term.

Yook is accused of deceiving an acquaintance on three occasions between September 2024 and August of the following year, collecting a total of 31 million won under the guise of investments by mentioning her daughter, Jang Yoon Jeong.

Explaining the rationale for the sentencing recommendation, prosecutors stated, "She committed this offense despite previously serving prison time for fraud using a similar method," adding, "The amount of damage is not small, and the damage has not been recovered."

Yook was also arrested in 2018 for failing to repay approximately 400 million won borrowed from an acquaintance.

During the hearing, Yook's legal representative admitted to the charges, saying, "She is deeply reflecting on her actions."

However, pleading for leniency, the defense added, "Regarding the motive, she needed money for living expenses and credit card bills, and the defrauded funds were also spent on living expenses."

In her final statement, Yook said, "I am truly sorry."

The sentencing hearing has been scheduled for September 10.

Reviewing the statement protocols submitted that day, the court separately remarked, "It does not seem like she was cooperative with the investigation."

Previously, after receiving a complaint from the victim, the Songpa Police Station tracked Yook's whereabouts, but struggled to locate her for some time as no records of mobile phone or credit card usage appeared.

Continuing their pursuit, police finally tracked down her location and arrested her in mid-July.

(Photo: Yonhap News)