SK chairman's live-in partner fulfills $1.5M compensation order for estranged wife

Kim Hee-young, the live-in partner of SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, made a full payment of 2 billion won ($1.5 million) in compensation to the chairman's estranged wife, Roh Soh-yeong, on Monday.

Kim Hee-young [JOONGANG PHOTO]

Kim Hee-young, the live-in partner of SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, made a full payment of 2 billion won ($1.5 million) in compensation to the chairman's estranged wife, Roh Soh-yeong, on Monday.

Kim sent the funds to Roh's personal account on Monday before taking off on a business trip.

The payment comes four days after the court ordered Chey and Kim to jointly remit the compensation.

"Kim decided to shoulder the compensation herself and went to the bank before going on a business trip on Monday," Park Jong-woo, an attorney at Raum representing Kim, told the Korea JoongAng Daily.

After the court ordered the payment of 2 billion won to Roh on Thursday, Kim issued a statement apologizing to the chairman's estranged wife and her children and said she would not appeal.

"I apologize to Roh Soh-yeong and to the children, who have been heartbroken witnessing the adults' [conflict] for a long time," she said. "I will accept the court's decision with a humble mind and not appeal."

It is a partial win for Roh since she had filed for 3 billion won in compensation.

"The defendant [Kim] and Chey's affair, giving birth to a child out of wedlock, Chey's unilateral separation and the [two's] making public appearances are acknowledged as reasons behind fundamental damage to the plaintiff [Roh] and Chey's relationship, and led to the dissolution of the marriage," the court had ruled.

"It is evident that the plaintiff went through mental distress so the defendant is obligated to pay the compensation."

In a separate case, Chey was ordered by the High Court to pay Roh 1.38 trillion won in property division, which he appealed.

BY JIN EUN-SOO [jin.eunsoo@joongang.co.kr]