Noh So-young Absent from Hearing Demanding Testimony on 'Roh's Slush Fund'... Judiciary Committee Requests Reappearance

Divorce Lawsuit Unveils 'Noe Bija-geum'
Political Circles Demand Appearance to 'Reveal the Truth'

No So-young, director of Art Center Nabi, is attending the second trial hearing of the divorce lawsuit with Chey Tae-won, chairman of SK Group, held last November at the Seoul High Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

No So-young, director of the Art Center Nabi, is facing political pressure due to the 'former President Roh Tae-woo’s slush fund' card she played during her divorce lawsuit with SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won. The National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee (Legislation Committee) requested her appearance as a witness for the national audit related to the slush fund, but after she refused, they demanded her attendance again.

On the morning of the 8th, the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee selected Director No as a witness to investigate the reality of the 'Roh Tae-woo slush fund' revealed during the divorce lawsuit between Chairman Chey and Director No, but she did not appear. It is reported that Director No avoided contact from the National Assembly by turning off her mobile phone and that the attendance request sent by mail was returned. For the same reason, No Jae-heon, Director No’s younger brother and director of the East Asia Culture Center, and the late former President Roh Tae-woo’s wife, Kim Ok-sook, also did not attend despite being requested.

After Director No did not appear following the start of the national audit at 10 a.m., the Legislation Committee immediately resolved to demand her attendance again, stating that she had not even submitted a reason for her absence. The No siblings are required to attend the Ministry of Justice’s national audit on the 25th of this month. The Legislation Committee is expected to question the family about the authenticity of the slush fund and the whereabouts of the hidden money.

In the appeal trial of her divorce from Chairman Chey, Director No claimed that the Chey family increased their wealth through the 'Roh Tae-woo slush fund.' Her side asserted that "her father delivered 30 billion won of slush funds around 1991 to her father-in-law, the late Chairman Chey Jong-hyun, and received promissory notes," submitting to the court a memo written by her mother, Mrs. Kim, which read 'entrusted money' and 'Seonkyung 30 billion,' along with photos of six promissory notes worth 5 billion won each.

The appellate court recognized the existence of the slush fund based on Director No’s testimony, Mrs. Kim’s memo, and the photos of the promissory notes. However, Chairman Chey, who denies the inflow of the slush fund itself, has appealed, arguing that the division of assets should be readjusted accordingly.

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