SK Group Chairman Ordered to Pay $644m in Divorce Settlement

CHEY TAE‑WON, the chief executive of one of South Korea’s largest conglomerates, has been mandated by a Seoul court to disburse 944 bn won to his ex‑spouse, resulting in a $644 m payout. The order follows an earlier judgment that initially set the figure at 1.38 tn won.

The verdict surfaced more than a decade after the couple’s marriage unravelled when an affair and a child from another woman were uncovered. The legal battle has highlighted the influence that high‑profile families wield within Korea’s interconnected economic apparatus.

SK Group, which owns SK Hynix, a world‑class semiconductor manufacturer, has surged in prominence thanks to the AI chip boom. In May, SK Hynix’s market value surpassed $1 tn, leading a record‑setting IPO on New York’s exchange and a $26.5 bn share offering. This financial momentum bolstered the chairman’s status, drawing praise from President Lee Jae‑Myung during the unveiling of a major AI investment plan.

The divorce ruling comes amid growing scrutiny of chaebol influence and insider advantage, especially as the section involving the former president’s son recognized excluded illicit funds. Supreme Court annulled earlier deductions that had classified slush‑fund money as marital assets.

SK Group remains entrenched across South Korea’s consumer market—running telecom, petrol stations, and other consumer services. Its future direction will now be shaped by how the patriarch navigates both the personal and corporate aftermath while the company continues to support acceleration in global AI infrastructures. The court’s decision is expected to impact stakeholder confidence and offer cautionary insight into the delicate balance of wealth, technology, and governance in rapidly evolving economies.