In brief
SK Group chairman Chey Tae‑won was handed a $644 million divorce settlement by a Seoul court, a figure that fans and industry observers dubbed the “divorce of the century.” The ruling follows a prior 2024 order of $1.38 trillion that was later reversed after a Supreme Court finding slush funds were illicit. The case spotlights SK Group’s massive influence on the semiconductor industry and the political ties that helped fortify its portfolio. As SK Hynix surges ahead in the AI chip market, the settlement brings a colorful twist to the story of one of South Korea’s biggest chaebols.
The latest chapter in the drama of South Korea’s tech royalty is in court. SK Group chairman Chey Tae‑won has been ordered to hand over $644 million to his former wife, Roh Soh‑yeong, a figure that local media have dubbed the “divorce of the century.”
The amount sits below the 2024 order of $1.38 trillion that the court had initially imposed, a figure that was later invalidated after the Supreme Court ruled that slush funds from former President Roh Tae‑woo’s holdings were illicit.
It’s been a decade since Chey and Roh broke up following revelations of an affair and a secret child – a scandal that shocked a country whose conglomerates are powers to be reckoned with.
SK Group, once a textile company, now runs SK Hynix, the second‑largest semiconductor maker in South Korea. The chip vendor is at the forefront of the booming AI chip market, recently pushing the group’s value over $1 trillion.
In a recent New York IPO, SK Hynix raised a record $26.5 billion, marking the biggest foreign listing in the U.S. list‑up. Chey has been lauded at the national level, even receiving praise from President Lee Jae‑Myung for his role in the AI push.
While the verdict still awaits finalisation, the settlement has turned the spotlight on the intersection of corporate power, political legacy, and family drama. Follow the story for all the latest on this high‑stakes split and the tech industry’s next chapter.
