24.07.2026 14:10
In 2015, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won publicly admitted to infidelity and having a child out of wedlock through a letter sent to a newspaper. Years later, in a finalized divorce case, the court ordered the billionaire businessman to pay his ex-wife Roh Soh-yeong $640 million in cash. The ruling was recorded as the highest divorce settlement in South Korean history.
A ruling has been announced in a case long closely followed by the public in South Korea, described as the "divorce of the century." The Seoul High Court ordered SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won to pay his ex-wife Roh Soh-yeong $640 million in cash.
Although the amount set by the court is lower than the $1 billion payment decided by the appellate court in 2024, it still marks the highest cash settlement ever ordered in a divorce case in South Korean history.
HE ADMITTED TO CHEATING ON HIS WIFE AND HAVING A CHILD OUT OF WEDLOCK
Chey Tae-won and Roh Soh-yeong, the daughter of former South Korean President Roh Tae-woo, married in 1988 and had three children. However, it was revealed that Chey Tae-won had a relationship with another woman named Kim Hee-young and had a child from that relationship. The billionaire businessman publicly disclosed in a letter to a newspaper in 2015 that he had fallen in love with another woman and had a child outside of marriage.
Roh Soh-yeong, who initially refused the divorce, later filed a lawsuit demanding half of her husband's assets.
"THE WEDDING OF THE CENTURY" TURNED INTO "THE DIVORCE OF THE CENTURY"
The marriage of Chey Tae-won and Roh Soh-yeong began in 1988 with a ceremony held at the presidential residence, the Blue House, following Roh Tae-woo's presidency, which was referred to as the "wedding of the century."
The forbidden love and out-of-wedlock child that emerged years later caused a huge public stir in the country. As a result, the case came to be known as the "divorce of the century" in South Korea.
WOMAN IN LOVE TRIANGLE ALSO FINED COMPENSATION
In a separate lawsuit filed by Roh Soh-yeong, the court ordered Kim Hee-young to pay approximately $1.5 million in compensation for the emotional distress caused by the extramarital relationship.
ASSET DIVISION BECAME A POINT OF CONTENTION
During the legal process, whether former President Roh Tae-woo made financial contributions to the growth of SK Group was also debated.
Roh's lawyers submitted a handwritten document allegedly from the company's founding period to the court. However, Chey's lawyers denied these claims.
The Seoul High Court did not include the allegations that the former president provided financing to the company in its asset division calculation. Nevertheless, the court ruled that Roh Soh-yeong made significant contributions to the preservation and growth of family wealth through raising children, home life, and social activities related to the company.
CASH PAYMENT ORDERED
The court ordered Chey Tae-won to make the $640 million payment in cash rather than transferring shares to preserve management control over SK Group.
According to Forbes data, Chey Tae-won, with a fortune of approximately $5.4 billion, is the largest shareholder of SK Inc. with a 17.9% stake.
Following the ruling, Chey Tae-won's lawyer Lee Jae-keun apologized for public concerns and announced they would consider the option of an appeal.