Singers Hong Seo-beom and Jo Gap-gyeong. [MBC every1 "Da Keonnneunde An Nagayo"]
Singers Hong Seo-beom and Jo Gap-gyeong. [MBC every1 "Da Keonnneunde An Nagayo"]

A court ruled in favor of A, the former daughter-in-law of singers Hong Seo-beom and Jo Gap-gyeong, in an appeal against the couple's son. The Daejeon Family Court's Family Division 1 issued a partial ruling for the plaintiff on Thursday in A's damages suit against B, the couple's son, over the breakdown of their common-law marriage. A had appealed a first-instance ruling that ordered B to pay her 30 million won ($19,400) in consolation money and 800,000 won in monthly child support, arguing the amounts were insufficient and that payments had not been properly made.

A filed suit in September last year seeking 100 million won in damages and 1.1 million won in monthly child support, alleging that B had committed adultery and abandoned the household during their marriage, causing the relationship to collapse.

A particularly alleged that B had carried on an inappropriate relationship with a co-worker, identified as C, while she was in the early stages of pregnancy.

The first-instance court ordered B to pay 30 million won in consolation money and 800,000 won in monthly child support.

A also won a separate damages suit against C, receiving a ruling for 20 million won in compensation.

A appealed the first-instance ruling in October of the same year.

A said the consolation money and child support were inadequate and that payments had not been properly made even after the first-instance ruling. She also said she had informed her parents-in-law, Hong and Jo, of her husband's infidelity and the child support issues, but that they had done nothing.

Hong and Jo subsequently issued a public apology through multiple media outlets. "We bow our heads in deep apology to the public for the disappointment and discomfort caused by the recently reported divorce proceedings involving our son," they said.

"We believed in respecting our adult son's privacy and autonomy, and so did not intervene in the divorce process," they added. "In hindsight, however, we fell far short as parents in failing to look closely at our child's faults. We sincerely reflect on our failure to set a proper example as public figures."

Hong and Jo married in 1994 and have one son and two daughters.


yeonjoo7@heraldcorp.com