sabiz

Mr. A, who had pointed to actress Choi Jeong-won as the affair partner of his wife, has been acquitted of some domestic violence and child abuse charges in a legal case related to their divorce.

According to a report from Star News on January 16, Mr. A was given a partial acquittal and a fine of 300,000 KRW in the second trial of his assault charges at the Seoul Eastern District Court's Criminal Division (Appeals) on the same day.

In the first trial in January 2023, Mr. A was found guilty and sentenced to a fine of 1.5 million KRW.

Starting from December 2022, Mr. A claimed that his wife and Choi Jeong-won had an inappropriate relationship and in February 2023, accused Choi Jeong-won of being an affair partner. Choi Jeong-won countered by stating, "He was just a local acquaintance. We met three times: once for coffee between May and June 2022, once for wine by the Han River, and once for a cycling club event. After those three meetings, there were no further interactions."

In addition, on December 4, 2024, the Seoul Family Court ruled in Mr. A's divorce case that "the main responsibility for the breakdown of the marriage lies with Mr. A's wife," and acknowledged that she violated her marital duties by engaging in infidelity. The court awarded Mr. A 30 million KRW in damages.

The court described that during their marriage, Mr. A's wife had lied to him about meeting friends and had met Choi Jeong-won on several occasions, including having brunch in Apgujeong and drinking wine in Han River Park. It was also revealed that they had inappropriate physical contact, including holding hands and hugging. The court further stated that Mr. A's wife had entered Choi Jeong-won's house alone and even spent time with him and his son. Mr. A discovered the affair in June 2022, leading to a deeper conflict.

Following the first trial, Mr. A emphasized, "After my wife appealed, she demanded 1.1 billion KRW in damages, but instead, the court ruled that she should pay 30 million KRW. The ruling also mentions Choi Jeong-won's involvement in the affair."

Mr. A's wife had moved out of the home they shared and was living with their young son in a temporary location, reportedly for protection from domestic violence. It was also revealed that the police had provided her with a smartwatch for her safety, and her son had secretly transferred to a new school.

Mr. A denied the allegations that his wife had requested protection for their son, stating, "I see my son regularly every two weeks."

Meanwhile, Choi Jeong-won's legal representative responded to Star News, stating, "It is true that the recent lower court ruling in the divorce case between Mr. A and his wife seemed to acknowledge an affair between Mr. A's wife and Choi Jeong-won, but since Mr. A's wife has appealed, this ruling is not final. Furthermore, it does not directly affect Choi Jeong-won's civil case. The first trial lacked specific evidence, and there is a possibility the conclusion will change."

The representative also firmly denied Mr. A's claim that Choi Jeong-won had multiple inappropriate relationships, calling it "false," and emphasized that they would take stern action against the spread of such false information.

On January 21, 2025, the Seoul Family Court will hold a hearing for Mr. A's lawsuit against Choi Jeong-won, demanding 100 million KRW in damages.