Chey Choi, chairman of South Korea’s SK Group, has departed for a business trip to the United States, pledging to contribute to the economy just hours after the Supreme Court issued a key ruling in his high-profile divorce case.
Speaking to reporters before leaving Seoul Gimpo Business Aviation Center on Wednesday, Choi said, “There are many economic challenges ahead. I will do my best to contribute to our economy.”
Choi is traveling to Florida’s Mar-a-Lago resort at the invitation of SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son, where a private meeting of global business leaders will discuss investment and technology cooperation.
His overseas trip marks the start of a busy schedule leading up to the APEC summit in Gyeongju this November, where SK Group is expected to expand its global partnerships.
Earlier in the day, South Korea’s Supreme Court overturned a lower court ruling that had ordered Choi to pay $1 billion to his ex-wife Roh So-young, director of Art Center Nabi, as part of their divorce settlement.
The court sent the case back to the Seoul High Court for retrial, effectively easing the immediate financial pressure on Choi, who could have faced asset sales or major borrowing to meet the payment.
When asked about the ruling, Choi replied briefly, “I have nothing more to say.”
Choi and Roh, who married in 1988 and have three children, have been involved in one of South Korea’s most closely watched divorce cases. Roh is the eldest daughter of former South Korean President Roh Tae-woo, the country’s 13th president.
The dispute began in 2015 after Choi publicly acknowledged that he had a child with another woman, prompting Roh to file for divorce and seek a share of his assets.
The Supreme Court’s latest decision is seen as a partial victory for Choi, allowing him to focus on managing SK Group, South Korea’s second-largest conglomerate by assets, amid global economic uncertainty.
