[Edaily Reporter SEOK JI-HOEN ] Noh So-young, director of the Art Center Nabi, has decided not to file a cross-appeal in the property division case arising from her divorce proceedings with SK Group Chairman Choi Tae-won. Consequently, the Supreme Court will now review the property division ratio and the appropriateness of the assets in question, which Chairman Choi had contested.

According to legal circles on the 14th, Director Noh’s side did not file a cross-appeal with the Supreme Court by the deadline of the 13th. A cross-appeal is a procedure in which, when one party files an appeal, the opposing party requests that the lower court’s ruling—which is unfavorable to them—be reconsidered.

Meanwhile, Chairman Choi’s side submitted a statement of grounds for appeal to the Supreme Court on the 12th. It is reported that the statement argues that Director Noh’s contribution to the accumulation of assets—as recognized by the retrial court—remains high, and that the scope of assets included in the division is still inappropriate.

Previously, in July, the Seoul High Court, in its retrial following a reversal and remand, set the property division ratio at 66.6% for Chairman Choi and 33.3% for Director Noh. Director Noh’s contribution rate was slightly lower than the 35% recognized in the appellate court ruling prior to the reversal and remand.

This decision followed the Supreme Court’s ruling last October that the 30 billion won in slush funds belonging to former President Roh Tae-woo could not be recognized as a contribution to Mrs. Roh’s asset accumulation. The Supreme Court held that since the funds were illegally obtained, they should not be factored into the asset division.

Chairman Choi’s side argues that it is unfair to recognize Mrs. Roh’s contribution at 33% even though the contribution from the slush fund was excluded. They also took issue with the fact that the increase in SK’s stock price was factored into the property division.

The appellate court, while setting April 16, 2024, as the reference date for the division of assets, ruled that the subsequent significant rise in SK’s stock price must be taken into account. Chairman Choi’s side is also expected to contest the decision to include SK Siltron shares—acquired in 2017, when the marriage had already broken down—in the division of assets.

The Supreme Court plans to assign a presiding justice shortly and begin full-scale deliberations.