SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won must pay a record $645 million divorce settlement to ex-wife Roh Soh-yeong after a South Korean court ruling.
South Korean billionaire Chey Tae-won has been hit with the country’s biggest divorce settlement ever. The SK Group chairman must pay his former wife, Roh Soh-yeong, about $645 million.
A Seoul appeals court ordered the payment after reviewing their long-running divorce case. The amount equals KRW 944 billion and is one of the largest divorce payouts in Asia. However, it is lower than the previous KRW 1.38 trillion award given in 2024.
The court ruled that Roh deserves one-third of their shared wealth. It rejected Chey’s argument that his SK Inc. shares should not count because he inherited them. Judges said the shares increased greatly during their marriage. They also credited Roh’s “homemaking and child-rearing responsibilities” and her support for SK Group’s public activities.
Chey’s lawyers said they are studying whether to appeal the decision. They added that Chey was “apologetic” for the worries caused by the case. His fortune currently stands at about $5.3 billion, making him South Korea’s ninth richest person.
The ruling also affected SK-related stocks. SK Inc. shares dropped 3.82% after the court decision. SK Hynix shares also fell 8.34% in South Korea trading. The company’s Nasdaq-listed shares declined in premarket trading as well.
Despite the short-term market reaction, SK Hynix has enjoyed a huge rise because of the global AI boom. Its stock has jumped nearly 150% since the start of 2026. The company is a major supplier of high-bandwidth memory chips used in advanced AI systems.SK Hynix competes with giants like Samsung and Micron. The company provides a large share of HBM chips used in powerful AI computers, including systems built for companies like Nvidia.
