24.07.2026 17:21
A verdict has been reached in South Korea in a case that has dominated the country's agenda for years, referred to as the 'divorce of the century'. Chey Tae-won, the chairman of SK Group—one of the world's leading companies in technology and energy investments—has been ordered to pay his ex-wife Roh So-young approximately $644 million as part of asset division.
A case closely followed by the public in South Korea for years, dubbed the "divorce of the century," has concluded. The head of the country's second-largest conglomerate, SK Group, Chairman Chey Tae-won, was ordered to pay approximately 944 billion won ($644 million) to his ex-wife, Roh So-young, as part of asset division. This has finalized one of the highest divorce settlements in South Korean history.
THE FIGURE AT THE CENTER OF A BILLION-DOLLAR FORTUNE Chey Tae-won, 65, is considered one of South Korea's most powerful business figures. Serving as chairman of SK Group since 1998, Chey has transformed the conglomerate from energy and telecommunications into a global player in artificial intelligence and semiconductor technologies.
SK hynix, operating under SK Group, is now one of the world's largest memory manufacturers, supplying high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips to major technology giants, including Nvidia. With the acceleration of AI investments, the company's market value has surged in recent years, boosting Chey's fortune to billions of dollars.
Chey Tae-won-Roh So-young A MARRIAGE BRIDGING POLITICS AND BUSINESS Chey Tae-won married Roh So-young, the only daughter of former South Korean President Roh Tae-woo, in 1988. The couple, who had three children, was long seen as the union of the country's most powerful political and economic families.
However, the marriage effectively ended in 2015 when Chey publicly revealed he had a child from an extramarital affair. The ensuing legal battle dominated South Korea's headlines for years.
COMPENSATION REDUCED FROM $1 BILLION TO $644 MILLION In the divorce case, Roh So-young argued that a significant portion of Chey's shares in SK Group resulted from their joint efforts, seeking approximately half of the fortune.
An initial ruling in 2024 ordered Chey to pay about 1.38 trillion won (roughly $1 billion). However, the Supreme Court overturned the decision on procedural and calculation grounds, leading to a retrial.
Following the retrial, the court reduced the compensation to 944 billion won (approximately $644 million) and ordered the payment to be made in cash. This prevented Chey from having to sell shares that secure his control over SK Group.
Chey Tae-won MARKETS CLOSELY WATCHED THE DECISION The case was critical not only from a family law perspective but also for South Korea's economy. Experts had noted that a potentially higher compensation could force Chey to sell or pledge company shares, potentially impacting SK Group's management structure.
The court's decision to require cash payment significantly eased investor concerns about the company's control structure.
WHO IS CHEY TAE-WON? Chey Tae-won is known as one of South Korea's most influential business figures. He serves as the Chairman of SK Group, the country's second-largest conglomerate.
The prominent businessman, who has led SK Group as chairman since 1998, is among the wealthiest individuals in South Korea.
SK Group is one of South Korea's largest conglomerates, ranking second after Samsung. Its areas of operation are extensive:
Semiconductor manufacturing
Telecommunications
Energy and petroleum
Battery technologies
Chemicals
Artificial intelligence and data centers
The conglomerate's annual revenue reaches hundreds of billions of dollars, and it operates in numerous countries worldwide.