[THE INVESTOR] SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won has filed for divorce mediation at Seoul Family Court last week, according to media reports on July 25.

He hopes to settle the family affair out of a court and keep the public attention to a minimum. 

Chey Tae-won (left) and Roh Soh-yeong

Chey publicized his estrangement with Roh Soh-yeong, his wife of 19 years, in December 2015 saying that they had serious differences for a decade and that he has an illegitimate child. 

He reportedly hired a team of lawyers in January 2013 and prepared divorce papers, but could not file them as he was charged with embezzlement. 

The mediation process is unlikely to work as his wife, director of Art Center Nabi and daughter of former president Roh Tae-woo, has refused to divorce.

Although Chey, the nation’s fifth richest man with US$4 billion fortune, did not mention financial aspects of the split-up, it is likely to be another major issue for the couple and also the conglomerate. Whether his wife and her father as president played a part in the rise and success of SK Group, Korea’s second-largest conglomerate in market capitalization on the main bourse, will be a key factor, according to sources. 

By Hwang You-mee (glamazon@heraldcorp.com)