South Korean A.I. Billionaire Ordered to Pay $644 Million in High-Stakes Divorce

The high-profile separation of a South Korean business magnate and his former spouse has drawn global attention, mirroring televised drama narratives.

Their union, once seen as a symbol of political and corporate synergy, dissolved after years of public scrutiny. The divorce, involving one of the largest financial settlements in the country’s history, centers on assets tied to artificial intelligence-driven growth.

Chey Tae-won, heir to SK Group—the nation’s second-largest conglomerate—and CEO of SK Hynix, a leading chipmaker, presided over a vast enterprise now heavily reliant on AI advancements. His former wife, Roh Soh-yeong, an art museum director with deep political ties through her father, Roh Tae-woo, a former president, contested his growing wealth.

A Seoul court ordered Chey to pay Roh 944 billion won ($644 million), significantly below her initial request of nearly half his estimated $5.3 billion net worth. The ruling, while substantial, marks one of the largest divorce settlements in South Korean legal history.

The court acknowledged contributions from both parties: Chey’s business expansions, including SK Telecom and SK Hynix, and Roh’s role in household and family management. However, disputes over the valuation of SK Group shares, which skyrocketed due to AI demand, continued to complicate the settlement.

The couple’s marriage, celebrated in 1988 at the presidential Blue House, quickly became emblematic of South Korea’s chaebol system—a network of family-controlled conglomerates accused of leveraging political connections for growth. Despite initial public admiration, allegations of corruption and fiscal mismanagement surfaced, particularly concerning political donations linked to Roh’s father.

Chey’s legal history includes prior convictions for embezzlement, while Roh’s father faced imprisonment for bribery tied to the 1979 military coup. The divorce legal battle, reignited in 2017, focused on whether illicit funds from Roh’s family enrichment should offset Chey’s assets.

Though a Supreme Court ruling in 2024 excluded illegally obtained funds from the settlement, the final payout still reflects the volatility of SK Group’s stock, which has surged ninefold since the initial court decisions. Both parties retain the option to appeal to the highest court within seven days.

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