Jay Y. Lee & Im Se-ryung — Samsung's Royal Divorce
Two Korean corporate dynasties married in 1998 — and their secret divorce settlement remains sealed to this day.
Key Facts
What Happened
The 1998 marriage of Lee Jae-yong, the eldest son of Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee, and Im Se-ryung, the daughter of Daesang Group's honorary chairman, was treated as a union of Korean corporate royalty. The wedding merged two of the country's most powerful chaebol families and was celebrated as a dynastic alliance.
Eleven years later, in 2009, the fairy tale ended. Lee filed for divorce, and the couple reached an unusually swift settlement. They met privately just one week after the suit was filed, and mediation was reached by agreement — so privately that even the court was not informed of the specific terms. Lee retained custody of their two children.
Legal experts speculated that the alimony ranged from tens of billions to as much as 100 billion Korean won (roughly $50-85 million at the time). Im, who was herself an heiress to the Daesang food conglomerate fortune, was not financially destitute — but the custody concession and sealed terms suggested a complex negotiation where money was traded for a clean break.
In a remarkable postscript, Samsung's chairman Lee Jae-yong and Im Se-ryung were photographed reuniting publicly in 2024, attending the same event for the first time since their 2009 divorce. Im had since become vice chairwoman of Daesang Group and had a high-profile relationship with actor Lee Jung-jae of Squid Game fame.
Legal Breakdown: How chaebol family structures and cultural norms shape divorce outcomes in South Korea
Chaebol Divorce Dynamics
In Korean chaebol families, divorce is handled with extreme discretion to protect corporate reputation and stock prices. The speed of the Lee-Im settlement — one week — reflects the priority placed on minimizing public exposure.
Custody as Bargaining Chip
Im conceded custody of both children to Lee, a common pattern in Korean chaebol divorces where the children are seen as heirs to the business dynasty. This concession likely increased the financial settlement.
Sealed Settlements in Asian Jurisdictions
Korean courts allow complete confidentiality in divorce settlements, enabling the parties to meet privately and reach terms that even the judge does not see. This level of privacy is nearly impossible in American courts.
What This Means for Your Divorce
- →In dynastic business families, divorce is a corporate governance event as much as a personal one.
- →Custody can become a bargaining chip when children are seen as future heirs to a business empire.
- →Speed and secrecy in high-profile divorces often signal pre-negotiated terms rather than genuine conflict resolution.
- →Cultural norms around divorce vary dramatically — what is sealed in Korea might be front-page news in the United States.
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This article is based on publicly available court records, news reports, and legal analysis. It is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by reading this content.
Divorce laws vary by jurisdiction. Always consult a licensed attorney in your area before making legal decisions.