[THE INVESTOR] The Seoul Family Court on July 20 ordered Samsung Group heiress Lee Boo-jin to pay her estranged husband, former Samsung Electro-Mechanics executive Im Woo-jae, 8.6 billion won (US$7.63 million) alimony.

In its ruling on the divorce suit the court also granted her child custody rights. Im will be allowed to meet their son once a month. 

His attorneys, who had sought custody rights and alimony of 1.2 trillion won, said they would appeal.

The Hotel Shilla CEO owns stakes in Samsung Group affiliates and subsidiaries, including Samsung SDS and Samsung C&T, with stock assets amounting to nearly US$2 billion.

Lee, 47, filed for divorce in 2014 after 15 years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences.

A Suwon district court approved the initial claim for divorce early last year. But the case was transferred to the Seoul Family Court later as Im filed an appeal and claim for asset division seeking over 1 trillion won.

The couple tied the knot in 1999, making headlines with love stories about an heiress who married a rank-and-file employee at her father’s company.

By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)