Chairman Chey Tae-won and Kang Yong-seok Sue 'Gaseyeon'... Rebuttal Including 'Third Mistress'

Gaseyeon "Apologies if the 'Latex Pillow' Good Story Is Not True"
"Mentioned Rumors of a Third Mistress... Never Stated as Confirmed"

YouTube channel 'Garosero Research Institute' Kim Yong-ho (left), Kang Yong-seok (center), Kim Se-ui (right) / Photo by YouTube 'Garosero Research Institute' broadcast screen capture

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Sung-yeol] SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won has expressed his intention to file a lawsuit against the three allegations raised by the YouTube channel Garoseoro Research Institute (Gaseyeon). Gaseyeon responded with an explanation.

On the afternoon of the 9th, Gaseyeon revealed the relevant complaint documents directly, stating, "We received four copies each of the 'Injunction Application to Prohibit the Dissemination of False Information' from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, addressed to lawyer Kang Yong-seok, former MBC reporter Kim Se-ui, Media Watch CEO Byun Hee-jae, and Gaseyeon Co., Ltd."

'Garosero Research Institute' released the provisional injunction application to prohibit the dissemination of false information by Chey Tae-won, Chairman of SK Group / Photo by YouTube 'Garosero Research Institute' broadcast screen capture

Gaseyeon explained the three reasons why they received the injunction application from Chairman Chey and offered their clarification.

In the Gaseyeon broadcast titled "Wise Prison Life" aired last September, lawyer Kang mentioned a rumor that Chairman Chey had donated 100,000 latex pillows to correctional facilities nationwide for his own use during his 2 years and 6 months imprisonment starting in 2013.

Lawyer Kang, who was in Seoul Detention Center from October 2018, apologized, saying, "I used them myself. I mentioned it because the rumor was widespread in the detention center. I thought it was a good story. I apologize if it is not true."

Receipt screen presented as the remittance made by Chey Tae-won, Chairman of SK Group, to No So-young, Director of Art Center Nabi / Photo by YouTube 'Garo Sero Research Institute' broadcast screen capture

The next allegation is that Chairman Chey did not provide living expenses and management fees to No So-young, director of the Art Center Nabi. At that time, former reporter Kim said, "'Pay the living expenses and management fees,' Chairman Chey is pressuring Director No. I heard something like this."

Chairman Chey refuted this by sending Gaseyeon a receipt showing he directly transferred 20 million won to Director No on December 2 last year.

Gaseyeon argued about this receipt, saying, "Isn't this just sent once? If he sent a lot, there would be many receipts. We cannot tell if this money is for living expenses or sent according to debts."

They added, "20 million won is an enormous amount for ordinary people, but considering the scale of SK Group, it is not an amount Chairman Chey would boast about sending to Director No, who is still his spouse."

Lastly, Gaseyeon raised the suspicion that Chairman Chey has a 'third mistress' other than his live-in partner Kim OO, director of the T&C Foundation.

Chairman Chey stated in the complaint, "There is no romantic relationship with anyone other than Director Kim, with whom I am currently living."

Gaseyeon explained, "In the broadcast at that time, former reporter Kim mentioned, 'There is controversy about whether there might be another person,' but never stated it definitively."

They also emphasized, "We are in frequent contact with people very close to Director No," and "Many people are willing to testify about the living expenses mentioned in this lawsuit." They added, "There have been claims that Chairman Chey has been providing living expenses since the lawsuit was filed."

Meanwhile, Chairman Chey filed for divorce mediation against Director No in July 2017, and after both parties failed to reach an agreement in February 2018, formal litigation procedures began.

Director No filed a counterclaim on December 4 last year at the Seoul Family Court against Chairman Chey's divorce lawsuit, demanding 300 million won in penalty fees and property division. The property in question is known to be over 1 trillion won, representing 42.29% of SK Group shares held by Chairman Chey.