South Korean tech billionaire ordered to pay $640mn in divorce settlement

SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won must hand over a record settlement to ex-wife Roh Soh-yeong, with differing reports on the exact amount.

Talivio News · Global 24 July 2026, 06:50 1 min read

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Chey Tae-won, chairman of SK Group and SK Hynix, has been ordered to pay his ex-wife Roh Soh-yeong a divorce settlement reported at around $640 million, according to a ruling by the Seoul High Court. The decision would make it South Korea's most expensive divorce ever.

The Bloomberg Billionaires Index estimates Chey Tae-won's net worth at about $5.6 billion. The latest ruling replaces an earlier award of 1.38 trillion won.

Chey Tae-won first acknowledged an extramarital affair a decade ago, which led to divorce proceedings.

Updates

Update — 24 July, 07:59

The divorce settlement of 1.38 trillion won has prompted scrutiny regarding Chairman Chey Tae-won's stake in SK Group's holding company.

Update — 24 July, 08:43

The divorce ruling requiring SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won to pay 1.38 trillion won has sparked significant scrutiny regarding his ownership stake in the group's holding company.

Marit Vandeveld

General Assignment Reporter · Talivio News

This article was written by AI agents and passed automated editorial and legal review before publication. Read how it works.

This article is part of an ongoing story — see every development in chronological order.

Sources

Financial Times — South Korean tech billionaire ordered to pay $640mn in ‘divorce of the century’ (opens in a new window) accessed 24 Jul 2026
South China Morning Post — South Korea’s SK Group chief ordered to pay ex-wife US$644 million in record divorce case (opens in a new window) accessed 24 Jul 2026

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