South Korea’s court has ordered SK Group chairman Chey Tae‑won to pay his ex‑wife 944bn won, roughly $644 million, a ruling dubbed the divorce of the century.
Chey, who leads the conglomerate that owns semiconductor giant SK Hynix, was earlier told to pay 1.38tn won in 2024, a figure the Supreme Court later overturned, removing funds believed to be illicitly sourced from former president Roh Tae‑woo’s slush fund.
The settlement follows a decade‑long dispute that erupted after Chey admitted he had fathered a child with another woman, tearing apart his marriage to daughter of former president Roh Tae‑woo.
SK Group, one of Korea’s largest chaebols, has surged in global relevance as SK Hynix’s chips feed AI giants such as Nvidia, and has recently raised $26.5bn in a record US listing.
President Lee Jae‑Myung praised Chey as a hero in a March AI investment plan unveiling, underscoring the intertwining of industry leadership and national politics.
The verdict has captured public attention, further spotlighting how wealth, power and personal affairs intersect in Korea’s economic elite.
