A South Korean appeals court has ordered billionaire businessman Chey Tae-won to pay his former wife, Roh Soh-yeong, approximately $645 million in cash, marking a major development in what has widely been described as the country’s “divorce of the century.”
The ruling is the latest chapter in a decade-long legal battle involving one of South Korea’s most prominent families, a case that has captivated the public with its mix of wealth, power, romance and betrayal.
Chey, chairman of the SK Group—one of South Korea’s largest conglomerates with significant investments in artificial intelligence, semiconductors and telecommunications—and Roh, the daughter of former South Korean President Roh Tae-woo, were married for decades and share three adult children.
Their marriage unravelled publicly in 2015 when Chey published a three-page letter in a South Korean newspaper announcing his intention to divorce. In the letter, he admitted to having fallen in love with another woman and revealed that they had a child together.
The disclosure shocked the nation and triggered a prolonged legal dispute over the division of assets accumulated during the marriage.
The appeals court ruled that Roh is entitled to one of the largest divorce settlements ever awarded in South Korea, underscoring her contribution to the family’s wealth and the growth of the business empire during their marriage.
The case has attracted widespread attention not only because of the enormous financial stakes but also because it involved two of South Korea’s most influential families, earning comparisons to the dramatic plots often seen in Korean television dramas.
Although the latest judgment represents a significant milestone, legal observers note that the case could still face further appeals before reaching a conclusion.
