A South Korean court has ordered Chey Tae-won, the influential chairman of chipmaker SK Hynix, to pay his estranged wife, Roh Soh-yeong, a record 1.38 trillion South Korean won (approximately £800 million) in a landmark divorce settlement. The ruling, delivered by the Seoul High Court, marks the largest ever divorce payout in South Korean history and brings a significant development to a marital dispute that has spanned over a decade.
The protracted legal battle began in 2015 when Chey first publicly acknowledged his extramarital affair and expressed his intention to divorce Roh, the daughter of former South Korean President Roh Tae-woo. The initial court ruling in 2022 had ordered Chey to pay 100 billion won in cash and transfer part of his shares in SK Inc., the holding company of SK Group, to his wife. However, both parties appealed that decision, leading to this latest, substantially increased judgment.
The Seoul High Court's decision not only significantly raises the cash payout but also increases the valuation of Roh's contributions to Chey's business success. The court reportedly found that Roh had played a substantial role in the growth of SK Group, particularly during its early stages, and that her family's political connections had provided invaluable support to Chey's ascent within the corporate world. This aspect of the ruling is particularly noteworthy as it moves beyond a simple division of assets to acknowledge the less tangible contributions of a spouse to a business empire.
Chey Tae-won is a prominent figure in South Korea's chaebol landscape, leading one of the nation's largest conglomerates. SK Hynix, a key subsidiary of SK Group, is a global leader in the memory chip market, a sector vital to the world's technology infrastructure. The company's performance and strategic direction are closely watched by investors worldwide due to its critical role in supplying semiconductors for everything from smartphones to artificial intelligence applications.
The substantial payout could have implications for Chey's personal finances and potentially for the ownership structure of SK Group, though the immediate impact on SK Hynix's operations is expected to be minimal. Legal experts suggest that Chey may appeal this latest ruling to the Supreme Court, potentially extending the 'divorce of the century' saga further. The case has captivated public attention in South Korea, offering a rare glimpse into the private lives and financial dealings of the nation's powerful corporate elite.