SK Group Chairman Settles Divorce with $645 Million Payout, Ex-Wife Misses Out on AI Boom Windfall

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won has been ordered by a Seoul court to pay his ex-wife 944 billion won ($645 million) in the largest divorce settlement in South Korean history. The ruling was handed down by the Seoul High Court's First Family Division, led by Judge Lee Sang-ju, on Friday, nine years after Chey filed for divorce mediation in 2017.

The court mandated that the payment be made in cash with a 5 percent annual interest rate from the day following the judgment becoming final. Notably, the court declined to hand over any stock shares, citing their crucial role in maintaining Chey's control over SK Group. Neither party has indicated whether they will appeal this decision.

Chey was absent from the proceedings as he accompanied President Lee Jae-myung on a business trip to San Francisco, where he dined with Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, in Woodside, California.

The valuation date set by the court for Chey's 17.9 percent stake in SK Inc. was April 16, 2024, when the stock price stood at 160,000 won ($110) per share. This placed the value of his shares at approximately 2.07 trillion won ($1.4 billion). By June 26, 2026, however, the closing price had surged to 810,000 won ($555), reflecting a significant increase due to the AI boom that has benefited SK Group companies.

Roh's legal team argued for using the more recent valuation date of June 26, 2026, while Chey’s counsel favored April 16, 2024. The court sided with Chey, adhering to Supreme Court precedent that property division should be based on the closing of the last fact-finding trial.

In setting the division ratio rather than adjusting the valuation date, the court acknowledged the sharp rise in stock prices but noted that share values are inherently volatile and can be liquidated at any time. The court also recognized Roh's contributions to the family and SK Group, including her homemaking duties and public activities on behalf of the company.

Previously, a different panel had awarded Roh 1.3808 trillion won ($945 million) in May 2024 after she argued that her father’s money played a role in building SK Group. However, this ruling was overturned by the Supreme Court's First Division on October 16, 2025, which found that any benefits derived from illegal activities were not recoverable under Article 746 of the Civil Act.

This complex legal battle underscores the significant financial stakes involved and highlights the evolving landscape of corporate governance and family law in South Korea. The decision has implications for how marital assets are valued and divided, particularly when companies undergo substantial market changes during a marriage's dissolution.