A Journey of Reflection and Closure
Roh Soh-yeong, the director of the Art Center Nabi, has shared a deeply personal reflection on the finalization of her divorce from SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won. In a post on her Instagram, she detailed the emotional process of packing up her belongings from the home she once entered as a bride 37 years ago.
She wrote, “Packing up. With the divorce finalized, I am leaving the house I came to as a bride 37 years ago.” The message was accompanied by photos of items filled with memories, including a wedding dress and hanbok believed to be from her 1988 wedding. These images also featured clothing, bags, and personal belongings that had been part of her life for decades.
Roh reflected on the years she spent living with her parents-in-law and the challenges of raising her two daughters alone before sending them off to marriage. Now, she is also parting ways with her son, marking the end of an era in her life.
Among the items she shared were a drawing paper gifted by her children, which included paper-made tuxedos and dresses pasted over photos of Chairman Chey and herself. The paper was adorned with multiple message cards, each filled with heartfelt messages. Roh described the significance of these objects, stating, “After turning 60, everything feels precious. Every piece of clothing, bag, and shoe holds laughter, tears, effort, frustration, and hope. I fold each one carefully.”
She continued, “Above all, I feel grateful. The warmth of a shawl, the coverage of an overcoat, the comfort of a scarf—all evoke the labor of those who made them and brought them to me. I fold each one carefully.”
One particular item that stirred deep emotions for Roh was a drawing paper where her three children, with their small hands, cut out photos of their mother and father, pasted them, and filled it with messages saying “Happy Forever!!” She expressed her sorrow over the innocence of her children’s wishes, asking, “Where can the innocent hearts, who desperately wished for their parents to love and be happy, find solace?” She added, “I folded this, too, with care.”
Legal Proceedings and Family Legacy
Earlier, on the 16th, the Supreme Court vacated and remanded the appellate court’s decision regarding the property division ratio in the divorce lawsuit between Chairman Chey and Director Roh. While the lower court acknowledged that former President Roh Tae-woo provided approximately 30 billion won in financial support to Chairman Chey’s father, Choi Jong-hyun, it ruled that this could not be considered as Director Roh’s contribution to the property division. However, it separately confirmed the consolation money and the divorce itself.
The Supreme Court’s First Division (Presiding Justice Seo Kyung-hwan) stated in its ruling, “Even if, as acknowledged by the lower court, former President Roh Tae-woo provided approximately 30 billion won to the plaintiff (Chairman Chey), the source of this money appears to be bribes he received during his presidency.”
The court added, “Former President Roh Tae-woo’s act of using part of the bribes to support his in-laws or his children’s family, while concealing it to prevent the state from tracing and collecting the funds, violates good morals, social order, and exhibits pronounced anti-social, unethical, and immoral characteristics, placing it outside the protection of the law.”
This legal development highlights the complex interplay between personal relationships and public accountability, particularly in cases involving high-profile individuals and their families. For Roh, the resolution of the legal matters marks a significant step toward closure, allowing her to focus on the emotional journey of letting go and moving forward.
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