Kim Hee-young, director of the T&C Foundation and cohabitant of SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, stated on the 26th that the 2 billion KRW deposited into the account of No So-young, director of the Art Center Nabi, is a definitive debt repayment of the principal and interest as per the court ruling.
Additionally, regarding the criticism from Director No's side that an explanation is needed on how Kim's side obtained the account number information, Kim's side clarified that it was confirmed through the account transaction details submitted as evidence by Director No during the trial process.
Park Jong-woo, attorney at Law Firm Raum and representative of Kim's side, said, "Director Kim Hee-young publicly expressed an apology to Director No So-young and her children immediately after the first trial ruling on the 22nd in the damages lawsuit, and declared her intention not to appeal the ruling and to promptly comply with it. Accordingly, Director Kim repaid the full amount by directly transferring the principal and interest of the ruling to Director No So-young's account today and immediately informed Director No's legal representative of this fact through her litigation agent."
On the same day, Lee Sang-won, attorney for Director No, stated, "The other party unilaterally deposited an amount that appears to be the judgment money into plaintiff No So-young's account today without any prior consultation or notification. We are currently unaware whether the money is a debt repayment or an advance payment." He added, "This unilateral remittance by the defendant's side raises suspicion that the other party believes that simply giving money to plaintiff No So-young is sufficient."
Regarding the nature of the transferred money, Attorney Park said, "Director Kim submitted a waiver of appeal to the court immediately after transferring the principal and interest of the ruling today. The transfer of the principal and interest is not an advance payment based on an appeal but a definitive debt repayment made in continuation of the previous statement respecting and complying with the ruling."
Meanwhile, Attorney Lee for Director No also pointed out, "We would like to highlight the need for an explanation on how the other party obtained the account number information, which constitutes personal or financial information of plaintiff No So-young."
In response, Attorney Park stated, "Director No So-young submitted Chairman Chey Tae-won's account transaction details as evidence in the damages lawsuit, which included the account number from which Chairman Chey transferred living expenses to Director No monthly. Director Kim Hee-young learned Director No's account number through this, and there is no legal issue regarding the execution of the judgment money."
On this day, Kim deposited the 2 billion KRW in consolation money ordered by the court to be paid to Director No So-young of Art Center Nabi into her account.
This came four days after the Seoul Family Court Family Division 4 (Chief Judge Lee Kwang-woo), which handled the first trial of the damages claim filed by Director No against Kim on the 22nd, ruled that "Director Kim and Chairman Chey shall jointly pay 2 billion KRW to Director No."
The court at the time judged, "The defendant (Kim) and Chairman Chey's misconduct, birth of an extramarital child, Chairman Chey's unilateral departure from home, and continued separation fundamentally damaged the trust between Director No and Chairman Chey and led to the breakdown of the marital relationship, thus obligating them to pay consolation money."
Furthermore, the appellate court in the divorce case ruled that Kim should also bear the 2 billion KRW consolation money that Chairman Chey was ordered to pay to Director No.
With Kim's full payment of the consolation money and submission of a waiver of appeal to the court on this day, regardless of the outcome of the Supreme Court's ongoing appeal trial of the divorce case between Chairman Chey and Director No, Director No has secured the 2 billion KRW consolation money.
The damages lawsuit filed by Director No against Kim is related to but separate from the divorce case, and each has independent effect once the ruling is finalized.
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