AI Billionaire's Divorce Sparks $1 Billion Payout Drama
WHO:
CNN - Chey Tae-won, chairman of SK Group and SK Hynix; Roh Soh-yeong, Chey’s ex-wife and daughter of former South Korean President Roh Tae-woo.
NY Post - Chey Tae-won, 65 years old.
WHAT:
CNN - The Seoul High Court ordered Chey Tae-won to pay his ex-wife Roh Soh-yeong 944 billion won ($644 million), which is lower than the previous 2024 ruling of 1.38 trillion won ($940 million).
ABC News - Chey was previously ordered to pay 2 billion won ($1.3 million) in alimony.
CNN - The court's ruling awarded Roh one-third of the assets, while Chey retains two-thirds.
CNN - Shares of SK Hynix closed at $169.50 on the day before the ruling.
CNN - Chey was ordered to pay Roh 944 billion won ($644 million) in a divorce settlement.
CNN - Roh sought a payout based on the 2026 valuation of Chey’s SK Group, which would have amounted to billions of dollars.
CNN - The Seoul High Court ruled that asset valuation should be based on the date the appellate court concluded its hearing in 2024.
CNN - The Supreme Court previously overturned a $1 billion decision regarding asset division.
CNN - Chey had argued for asset division to be calculated at the close of the case hearing in April 2024.
CNN - Roh demanded alimony of 300 million won (about $260,000) and 42.29% of Chey’s SK Group stock holdings.
CNN - In 2024, a high court ruled Chey to pay Roh 2 billion won ($1.5 million) and 1.38 trillion won (about $1 billion) in property division.
CNN - SK Hynix shares were trading at about 33,000 won (about $30) when Chey announced the end of his marriage in 2015.
CNN - SK Hynix reached a $1 trillion valuation in May due to increased demand for semiconductors driven by AI investments.
CNN - SK Hynix raised $26.5 billion in the largest-ever US listing by a foreign company.
WHERE:
CNN - The ruling was made by the Seoul High Court in South Korea.
CNN - Chey and Roh married at the Blue House, the executive office of the president in South Korea.
WHEN:
CNN - Chey and Roh married in 1988.
CNN - Chey publicly announced the end of his marriage in 2015.
CNN - The Supreme Court ruling that overturned the $1 billion decision occurred in October.
CNN - The appellate court concluded its hearing in 2024.
WHY:
ABC News - The Supreme Court ruled that funds allegedly provided by Roh's father during his presidency could not be recognized as a legal contribution to the company’s growth.
CNN - Roh argued for a larger payout based on her father's early investment in the company, claiming it contributed to its growth.
HOW:
NY Post - The case can be sent back to the Supreme Court if appeals are filed by either Chey or Roh.
CNN - The court's ruling on asset division was based on a one-third to two-thirds ratio, awarding Roh one-third of the assets.
(UPDATED July 24, 2026 10:41 UTC)
In a significant ruling, the Seoul High Court has ordered Chey Tae-won to pay his ex-wife Roh Soh-yeong 944 billion won, which is a reduction from the previous 2024 ruling of 1.38 trillion won. The court determined that Roh is entitled to one-third of the couple's assets, while Chey retains two-thirds, and this decision follows a Supreme Court ruling that disallowed funds from Roh's father during his presidency as a legal contribution to the company's growth. If either party chooses to appeal, the case could be sent back to the Supreme Court for further consideration.
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(UPDATED July 24, 2026 07:51 UTC)
In a significant ruling, the Seoul High Court has ordered Chey Tae-won, chairman of SK Group, to pay his ex-wife Roh Soh-yeong 944 billion won, which is approximately $644 million, in a divorce settlement. Roh sought a larger payout based on the valuation of Chey’s SK Group, which reached a $1 trillion valuation in May due to booming demand for semiconductors, but the court decided that asset division should be calculated based on the conclusion of the appellate court's hearing in 2024. The court's decision awarded Roh one-third of the assets, including a demand for alimony and a substantial portion of Chey’s stock holdings in SK Group.