"If Married, 30 Billion Won; If Not, 700 Million Won... Jung Woo-sung's Choice of Extramarital Child Due to Asset Division Risk"

Responsibility for Children Born Out of Wedlock... Choices Between Marriage and Child Support
Jung Woo-sung's Assets at Least 60 Billion Won... Child Support Amounts to 700 Million Won
Attorney Ahn Se-hoon: "Marriage Poses Much Greater Risks"

Actor Jung Woo-sung (51) has not married model Moon Ga-bi (35) despite having an extramarital child, and legal experts suggest that this may be due to concerns over 'property division' in the event of a divorce.

Model Moon Ga-bi (left) and actor Jung Woo-sung. Instagram

On the 25th, lawyer Ahn Se-hoon (Jeonghyang Law Firm) stated in a video uploaded on YouTube, "Even if Jung Woo-sung receives criticism, not marrying is a reasonable choice," asserting this view.

Lawyer Ahn explained, "Usually, when an extramarital child is born, there are two ways to take responsibility: 1) getting married, or 2) not marrying and only providing child support," adding, "If you marry, you avoid criticism, maintain your image, and even receive praise and support. Conversely, if you choose the second option, you will face severe criticism." He emphasized, "Jung Woo-sung clearly knew he would be criticized but deliberately chose the second option because marriage carries much greater risks."

Lawyer Ahn continued, "If you marry and live well, that's fortunate, but if you divorce, South Korea has a harsh rule known as 'the 5-year promise with 10-year cost-effectiveness'." This means that if you live together for 5 years, you must give 30% of your assets, and if for 10 years, 50%. He explained, "Of course, the division ratio won't reach 30-50% for assets originally owned (special property or exclusive property), but you still have to give at least several billion won."

Jung Woo-sung is known to have assets worth hundreds of billions of won. The current market value of the building in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, jointly purchased in 2020 with actor Lee Jung-jae, is 40 billion won, and the value of his stocks reaches 10.6 billion won. Jung Woo-sung has also earned hundreds of billions of won from advertisements and appearances in dramas and films. His advertising fee is known to be 1.2 billion won per contract (per year), and his drama appearance fee is about 7.6 billion won per project.

"300 billion won if living together for over 10 years vs. 700 million won if not married and only paying child support"

Lawyer Ahn stated, "Jung Woo-sung's assets are at least 60 billion won based on minimum earnings," explaining, "If they live together briefly and divorce with a 30% property division, he would have to pay 18 billion won, and if they live together for over 10 years, he would have to pay 30 billion won." Conversely, if Jung Woo-sung does not marry and only pays child support, the amount he has to pay drops to about 700 million won, emphasized lawyer Ahn.

Lawyer Ahn added, "Child support is based on a court standard table. No matter how much money one earns, the maximum is about 2 to 3 million won per month," stating, "If you consider paying 36 million won per year until the child becomes an adult, even over 20 years, it only amounts to 720 million won." He continued, "Even if you pay 10 to 20 million won per month, this is still much cheaper. Don't you understand why Jung Woo-sung chooses not to marry despite the criticism?"

Earlier, on the 22nd, Moon Ga-bi announced her childbirth news on her social media, saying, "I am nervous to publicly share this as a mother of one child, not just my own story," and "But now, as a mother, I have gathered courage to live a somewhat more ordinary happiness." Subsequently, on the 24th, Jung Woo-sung's agency, Artist Company, stated, "The child publicly revealed by Moon Ga-bi on SNS is Jung Woo-sung's biological child," adding, "We are discussing the best way to raise the child and will take full responsibility as the father." However, it is reported that the two have no plans to marry.