Korea's most expensive divorce settlement drags on amid blame game

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Korea's most expensive divorce settlement drags on amid blame game

Published: 13 Nov. 2023, 16:35 Updated: 13 Nov. 2023, 17:22

KIM JU-YEON
kim.juyeon2@joongang.co.kr

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, pictured left, and Art Center Nabi Director Roh Soh-Yeong, right, are in an ongoing divorce suit. [YONHAP]

Korea's most expensive divorce settlement in history keeps dragging on as SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won and his estranged wife, Art Center Nabi director Roh Soh-yeong, play the blame game.

Chey is “bewildered by [Roh] causing controversy by discussing her biased position with the press in order to receive a favorable ruling in the remaining property division trial,” said a statement released by Chey's legal representative.

“My marital relationship with Director Roh was in ruins way before I even met a new partner. We were husband and wife only on paper for many years, and were separated with only distrust remaining between us. Finally we filed for a divorce in mutual agreement, and received a ruling from the first court that the divorce should proceed,” the statement read.

“Please understand that I cannot elaborate, as it is inappropriate to cause social controversy with personal matters, and has been requested by the appellate court,” he added.

“Just two days ago the appellate court asked to ‘refrain from playing the media to influence public opinion,’ yet Director Roh ignored this and expressed her one-sided claim to the press through interviews,” said Chey’s representative. “We are deeply disappointed by the act of trying to induce public hatred by intentionally spreading a court dispute between the people concerned to a third party,” the representative added.

The representative also delivered Chey's position regarding the media reports on Roh’s recent remarks.

Roh said to the local press Saturday that “people are different from animals in that they keep promises.”

“People who cause the breakup of other families should be punished,” she said, in a remark purportedly aimed at Chey’s partner Kim Hee-young, chairman of the T&C Foundation.

Roh also met with reporters on Thursday after attending the first hearing of the divorce. “It is a tragic ending to a 30-year marriage. I hope that my case will serve as an example for precious family values to be protected by the law,” she said.

Chey married Roh in 1988 but filed for a divorce settlement in July 2017, two years after publicly announcing a new relationship and a daughter born out of wedlock. After failing to reach an agreement following Roh’s opposition, he filed for divorce in February 2018. Roh filed a countersuit in December 2019 and claimed 300 million won ($226,700) in alimony and half of SK’s 12,975,472 shares held by Chey.

It was ruled in the first trial in December 2022 that Chey should pay 66.5 billion won in property division to Roh, and that both pay 100 million won each in alimony. However, after Roh appealed against the ruling on Dec. 19, Chey also filed an appeal three days later.

BY KIM JU-YEON, KIM JI-HYE [kim.juyeon2@joongang.co.kr]