Chey Tae-won, chairman of SK Group, appealed the decision not to indict the attorney for Roh Soh-yeong, director of Art Center Nabi, who claimed Chey spent more than 100 billion won on Kim Hee-young, chair of the T&C Foundation.
Chey's legal team said in a statement on the 15th that it appealed "the prosecution's decision not to indict attorney Lee Sang-won of Roh's side in connection with defamation tied to spreading false information."
After a preparatory hearing in Nov. 2023 for a damages lawsuit Roh filed against Kim, attorney Lee told the press to the effect that "since 2015, Chey has likely spent more than 100 billion won on Chair Kim," and was then sued by Chey. The case was referred to prosecutors, and the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office on the 9th declined to indict Lee, citing insufficient evidence.
Chey's side said of the grounds for appeal, "The nonindictment was on the basis that there was insufficient evidence to prove awareness of the falsehood, and nowhere in the decision is there any finding that the disseminated figures were true," adding, "We appealed because the decision has circulated as if it recognized the truth of the claim."
Chey's side maintains that, as of the time of the claim, the amount Chey used as living expenses together with Kim was about 2 billion won. They say this was verified through a review of financial transaction records and was detailed to the court handling the property partitioning case.
Chey's side said, "As counsel in the property partitioning suit, attorney Lee was in a position to verify these facts," adding, "Nevertheless, to sway public opinion in Roh's favor and influence the ongoing trial, he inflated the figure to more than 50 times the actual amount."
Attorney Lee is the son-in-law of Park Cheol-un, a former Minister and one of the closest aides to the late President Roh Tae-woo, Roh's father.