Pair suspected in Angelil case arrested

Monday, March 10, 2003 | 11:16 a.m.

The California couple accused of trying to extort Celine Dion's husband and manager, Rene Angelil, out of more than $13 million turned themselves in to authorities Friday.

Yun Kyeong Sung and her husband, Ae Hoe Kwon surrendered themselves to police at the Clark County Detention Center after District Judge Gene Porter issued a warrant for their arrest.

Police immediately handcuffed Sung, 47, and Kwon, 50, when they entered the jail. The couple's bail is set at $100,000 each.

The couple, who were indicted on extortion charges last week, had driven to Las Vegas from California, said their attorney, Robert Langford.

Langford would not comment on where in California the couple was residing for fear of what he called "fanatic" Dion fans.

Langford said he plans to file a motion this week asking a judge to reduce bail due to his clients' willingness to cooperate.

"If my clients will show up to the steps of the jail, what makes them think they won't show up to court?" he said. "They could have run, but they didn't. We want to fight."

Police claim the couple demanded Angelil pay them $13.5 million to keep quiet about their claims that Angelil sexually assaulted Sung at the Imperial Palace in 2000.

Police closed the investigation without filing charges against Angelil.

The indictment means the case will be bound over to District Court, despite a preliminary hearing that was scheduled to take place March 13.

The couple was out on bail on the same charges when the indictment was handed down. That bail was set at $7,000 each.

A civil lawsuit filed by the couple over the rape allegation is still pending, Langford said.