Court largely upholds landmark SK divorce ruling, cuts payout to 944 billion won

by Ryu Yuna Posted : July 24, 2026, 14:23Updated : July 24, 2026, 14:23
AJP Song Ji-yoon
AJP Song Ji-yoon
SEOUL, July 24 (AJP) — A South Korean appeals court on Friday largely reaffirmed its landmark ruling in the country's "divorce of the century," ordering SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won to pay 944 billion won ($642 million) to his former wife, Roh Soh-yeong, after the Supreme Court sent the property division case back for retrial.

The Seoul High Court's Family Division 1 reduced the property settlement from its previous 1.38 trillion won ruling but maintained that Roh is entitled to one of the largest divorce awards ever ordered in South Korea. The court did not explain its reasoning in open court.

The decision follows the Supreme Court's ruling last October, which upheld the couple's divorce but ordered the Seoul High Court to reconsider only the property division after finding legal flaws in its earlier judgment. The top court left intact the previous 2 billion won alimony award.

The long-running dispute has centered on whether Chey's stake in SK Inc., the holding company of South Korea's second-largest conglomerate, should be treated as marital property and how it should be valued. The case has attracted nationwide attention as the value of SK Inc.'s stake in AI memory chip leader SK hynix has soared during the years-long litigation.

Chey, 65, and Roh, 65, have been embroiled in one of South Korea's most closely watched divorce battles since Roh sought a divorce and a share of the group's wealth after Chey publicly acknowledged an extramarital relationship.

Following Friday's ruling, Chey's legal team said it was "sorry for causing public concern" and would decide whether to appeal again after reviewing the written judgment.

The case is expected to return to the Supreme Court if Chey files a further appeal, extending a legal battle that has become a closely watched test of how South Korean courts treat inherited corporate wealth in divorce proceedings.