Chey Tae-won, chairman of SK Group, and his former wife, Roh Soh-yeong, director of Art Center Nabi, will appear on the 15th for the second mediation date in the retrial on partitioning of assets. Chey and Roh are expected to face each other in court for the first time in 2 years and 2 months.
The Seoul High Court Family Division 1 (presiding judge Lee Sang-joo, Director General judge) will hold the second mediation date for the retrial on partitioning of assets for the two at 2 p.m. that day. Mediation is a procedure in which the court attempts to have the parties reach an agreement before issuing a ruling.
Only Roh appeared for the first mediation date held on the 13th. At the time, the court said about Chey's absence, "We will set the next date for a day when both parties can appear." In response, Chey's side said Chey plans to appear in person at the second mediation date to be held that day.
The last time Chey and Roh faced each other in court was on April 16, 2024, when the final hearing of the divorce lawsuit's appeal was held. If both appear as scheduled that day, the two will face each other in court for the first time in 2 years and 2 months since April 16, 2024, when the final hearing of the divorce lawsuit's appeal was held.
At the second date, discussions are expected on key issues such as the size of the assets subject to partitioning. Chey's side argues that SK shares are a unique asset received by gift or inheritance and therefore are not subject to partitioning. Roh's side, by contrast, argues the shares should be considered marital property. The reason, they argue, is that Chey was able to focus on corporate activities because she took on child-rearing and other housework for a long period.
If Roh can receive a portion of SK shares, attention is also on whether the recent surge in group stock prices, including SK hynix, will be reflected in the asset partitioning.
In October last year, the Supreme Court finalized the couple's divorce and 2 billion won in alimony, and sent the case back to the Seoul High Court, ordering a fresh review only of the appellate ruling that Chey must pay 1.3808 trillion won to Roh as asset partitioning.
At the time, the Supreme Court emphasized that former President Roh Tae-woo's slush funds were illegal funds. Therefore, even if this money flowed into SK, it said Roh's contribution could not be recognized in the asset partitioning.
Accordingly, the issue in the retrial has narrowed to the size of the assets Chey must give to Roh.
The couple's divorce began 9 years ago in 2017. Chey applied for divorce mediation against Roh in July 2017, but it fell through, and a formal lawsuit began in February 2018. In December 2019, Roh filed a countersuit, saying she would accept the divorce.