Choi Tae-won Refutes Claims by Gase-yeon... Discloses Living Expense Payment Details in Court

Chairman Chey Tae-won of SK is delivering the opening address at the opening ceremony of the 'SK ICT Tech Summit 2019' held on October 28 last year at Walkerhill Hotel in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ga-yeon] The YouTube channel 'Garosero Research Institute' (Gaseyeon) made claims such as "Choi Tae-won, chairman of SK Group, is not providing living expenses to his wife, Noh So-young, director of Art Center Nabi," and "there is a third mistress." In response, Chairman Choi has taken legal action.

The Seoul Central District Court Civil Division 51 (Presiding Judge Park Beom-seok) held the first hearing on the injunction lawsuit filed by Chairman Choi against lawyer Kang Yong-seok and three others to prohibit the dissemination of false information on the 22nd.

The court asked, "Although Chairman Choi is a public figure leading a large corporation, is it necessary to reveal matters such as the payment of living expenses during a divorce lawsuit on YouTube?"

Gaseyeon responded, "The division of property and alimony in the divorce lawsuit exceeds 1 trillion won," adding, "We understand that they have been engaging in media play themselves by filing the lawsuit, considering it a matter of public interest for several years."

When the court asked, "What is the purpose of establishing Gaseyeon if it is to resolve the public's questions?" the Gaseyeon representative reportedly answered, "Actually, I haven't seen it either."

Additionally, Chairman Choi's side disclosed evidence to refute the claim that "Chairman Choi is not providing living expenses to Director Noh."

Chairman Choi's side stated, "We have all the evidence such as records of living expense payments, but if we submit this to Gaseyeon, we worry it might be disseminated somewhere," and requested the court to prevent any dissemination or broadcasting.

Gaseyeon requested, "At least the year should be shown so that we can submit a rebuttal statement," and proposed, "Let's view the year but agree not to disclose it." In response, Chairman Choi's side revealed records showing that from January 2016, 20 million won per month was paid to Director Noh as living expenses.

Regarding this material, Gaseyeon questioned, "Chairman Choi held a press conference around December 2015, but isn't there nothing before that?" Chairman Choi's side replied, "At that time, he was in prison."

The court plans to receive additional written submissions by the 5th of next month and proceed with the trial based on them.

Previously, in September last year, lawyer Kang mentioned in Gaseyeon's broadcast episode "Wise Prison Life" that "he heard a rumor that Chairman Choi donated 100,000 latex pillows to prisons nationwide during his incarceration." Chairman Choi was sentenced guilty on embezzlement charges and was imprisoned for six months starting in February 2013.

Also, lawyer Kang claimed in the broadcast that "Chairman Choi did not provide living expenses and housing management fees to Director Noh, who is undergoing a divorce lawsuit," and raised suspicions such as "Chairman Choi has a third mistress."

As the controversy spread, Chairman Choi's side filed an injunction application with the court in December last year, requesting Gaseyeon to stop broadcasting the content and to refrain from posting or disseminating it on YouTube and elsewhere.