South Korean AI billionaire faces $1 billion divorce payout after 'marriage of the century' crumbles amid affair with younger woman - New York Post

What the report says

The New York Post reported that Chey Tae-won, chairman of South Korea’s SK Group, is approaching a decisive court ruling in a divorce dispute that could require him to pay his former wife, Roh Soh-yeong, close to $1 billion. Chey, 65, leads the conglomerate that includes SK Hynix, a memory-chip maker benefiting from demand tied to artificial intelligence systems. The article said a ruling was expected Friday.

The dispute stems from the breakdown of Chey and Roh’s 1988 marriage, which took place at South Korea’s presidential Blue House after Roh’s father, Roh Tae-woo, became president. Chey publicly acknowledged in 2015 that he loved another woman and had fathered a child with her. His longtime partner, Kim Hee-young, later became part of the legal fallout; Roh sued her and was awarded about $1.5 million in damages, according to the Post’s account.

A key issue now is how to value Chey’s assets. Roh is seeking half of his wealth and wants the court to use current valuations, after SK Hynix shares rose sharply amid AI-chip demand. Chey’s side argues for an earlier valuation, before the recent surge. The Post said Chey’s fortune has more than doubled to about $5 billion as SK Hynix’s stock climbed roughly tenfold since the start of 2025.

The case has broader significance because it involves one of South Korea’s most powerful business groups and questions over family wealth, corporate control and political connections. An earlier appeals decision awarded Roh 35% of Chey’s assets, but the Supreme Court sent the property settlement back for reconsideration after rejecting reliance on alleged illegal presidential money as a basis for the claim.