Key facts
- SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and his former wife, Roh Soh-yeong, failed to reach an agreement in a court mediation session for asset division.
- The mediation session was the first time the two had faced each other in court since April 2024.
- Chey's side argues SK Inc. stocks are inherited or gifted and should not be divided, while Roh's side claims they are marital property.
- The Seoul High Court ended mediation and scheduled oral arguments for June 26.
- Previously, the Seoul High Court ordered Chey to pay Roh approximately 1.38 trillion won (US$913 million) in asset division.
- The Supreme Court overturned aspects of the lower court's ruling regarding an alleged illegal slush fund.
SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and his former wife, Roh Soh-yeong, failed to reach an agreement during a court mediation session on Monday regarding the division of their assets, particularly concerning Chey's significant stake in SK Inc. stocks.
The failure to agree means the high-profile divorce settlement case will now proceed to trial. The Seoul High Court announced it would end mediation and hold oral arguments on June 26, as the parties remain far apart on key issues.
Chey's legal team has argued that his SK Inc. shares should not be included in the asset division because they were inherited or gifted. Conversely, Roh's side contends that these shares constitute marital property and should be subject to division.
This mediation session marked the first time Chey and Roh had appeared in court together since April 2024. Previously, in May 2024, the Seoul High Court had ordered Chey to pay Roh approximately 1.38 trillion won (US$913 million) in assets. However, the Supreme Court later remanded the case, ruling that an alleged slush fund, purportedly funneled to Chey's father by Roh's father, could not be considered in the asset division due to its potentially illegal nature.
Chey Tae-won holds a 17.9 percent stake in SK Inc. The company's shares were trading above 600,000 won on Monday, a significant increase from the 160,000 won price on April 16, 2024, when oral arguments for the divorce suit concluded at the Seoul High Court. The couple married in 1988 and have three children. Chey had publicly announced his intention to divorce in 2015, acknowledging an extramarital relationship.