Choi Tae-won and Kim Hee-young
Overview
Choi Tae-won (崔泰源, born 1960) is a prominent South Korean conglomerate leader and chairman of SK Group. Kim Hee-young (金喜英, born 1975) is known as Choi Tae-won's de facto spouse and emerged as a key figure during the divorce proceedings between Choi Tae-won and his ex-wife, Roh So-young. This document covers the relationship between Choi Tae-won and Kim Hee-young, related legal disputes, and social repercussions.
Main Content
Background of Choi Tae-won
Choi Tae-won is the son of SK Group founder Choi Jong-geon and has served as chairman of SK Group since 1998. He married Roh So-young, daughter of former President Roh Tae-woo, in 1988, but they began living apart in 2017, and divorce proceedings started in 2022. Choi Tae-won leads major affiliates such as SK Hynix and SK Telecom, heading the second-largest conglomerate in South Korea's business community.
Background of Kim Hee-young
Kim Hee-young majored in art history and was not widely known to the public before her relationship with Choi Tae-won became public. She has a daughter with Choi Tae-won and was referred to as a 'de facto spouse' in Choi Tae-won's divorce proceedings. Kim Hee-young plays a significant role in the lawsuits concerning property division and alimony claims, with her asset details and relationship with Choi Tae-won being closely scrutinized in court.
Divorce Proceedings and Legal Disputes
The divorce proceedings between Choi Tae-won and Roh So-young began at the Seoul Family Court in December 2022. In May 2024, the Seoul High Court ruled that Choi Tae-won must pay Roh So-young 1.38 trillion won in property division. This was the largest property division ruling in South Korean history. Kim Hee-young was identified as the 'party to the misconduct' in this lawsuit, with Roh So-young's side alleging that Kim Hee-young was involved in diverting Choi Tae-won's assets. However, Choi Tae-won's side countered that his relationship with Kim Hee-young was not grounds for divorce.
Social Repercussions
This case garnered significant public attention as a divorce within a conglomerate family. In particular, since the marriage of Choi Tae-won and Roh So-young symbolized a union between political and business circles, the divorce proceedings carried implications beyond personal matters. Kim Hee-young emerged as a 'third party' in what was dubbed the 'divorce of the century,' drawing public criticism and sparking controversy over the private lives of conglomerate families. Additionally, the case triggered legal discussions on property division and alimony standards for conglomerates.
Property Division and Alimony
In October 2024, the Supreme Court dismissed Choi Tae-won's appeal, finalizing the property division ruling of 1.38 trillion won. In this process, it was analyzed that assets Kim Hee-young received from Choi Tae-won (worth approximately 20 billion won) influenced the alimony calculation. Roh So-young's side claimed that Kim Hee-young managed Choi Tae-won's assets and gained unjust profits, but the court did not clearly substantiate this.
Latest Developments
As of 2025, the divorce proceedings between Choi Tae-won and Roh So-young have concluded with the Supreme Court ruling, but additional lawsuits involving Kim Hee-young are ongoing. In February 2025, Roh So-young's side filed a 5 billion won damages lawsuit against Kim Hee-young. In response, Kim Hee-young disclosed her asset details and initiated legal countermeasures. Within SK Group, concerns have been raised about Choi Tae-won's management control, but he continues to lead the group stably. Meanwhile, amid the social controversy, Kim Hee-young is maintaining her personal activities and strengthening her position in the art world.
Related Topics
- [[Choi Tae-won]]
- [[Roh So-young]]
- [[SK Group]]
- [[Divorce Proceedings]]
- [[Property Division]]
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