Seo-Lee battle enters season 2

Published on 2011/05/18 | Source

By Kim Rahn

Opening a sequel to their court battle, musician Seo Taiji has refused to accept his ex-wife Lee Ji-ah's withdrawal of a lawsuit over the division of property.

Seotaiji Company, Seo's agency, said Tuesday that the singer filed an opposition motion with a court to actress Lee's withdrawal of the suit she had filed to demand he pay her 5.5 billion won in alimony and to divide their wealth.

The legal battle between the top celebrities, which had seemed to have come to an end after Lee dropped the suit, now is entering a second phase.

"Lee lodged and dropped the suit without any prior notice to Seo. He concluded that it may be possible for her to do so again and that an objective truth-finding investigation should take place, so his lawyers submitted a written counter-argument to the Seoul Family Court", the company said in a statement.

The withdrawal would have been accepted and the court battle would have ended if Seo consented to it or did not raise objection to it within two weeks ending Friday after receiving related documents on May 6.

Following the disagreement, the court will hold a hearing on May 23 as arranged previously.

Why?

It is said that Seo made the decision to clarify the "Truth", as rumors kept circulating concerning the former couple.

After Lee dropped the suit on April 30, they alleged the couple agreed to the withdrawal in advance, or Seo gave 1-2 billion won to her in return for canceling the suit, despite denials from both sides.

It was also rumored that the couple had a child who is currently being raised by a third party.

Culture critics presume the singer may want to clarify every doubt and settle the divorce and alimony issue completely, as the secret marriage between the two has already been disclosed anyway.

The actress lodged the suit in January and dropped it on April 30, citing psychological suffering after her private life was made public.

In the suit, she claimed she filed the divorce suit in 2006 and the court decision became effective in 2009, so the two-year statute of limitations to demand wealth division hasn't expired. But Seo claimed the divorce officially took effect in 2006 and the statute of limitations had passed.

To decide alimony and wealth division amounts, the court will review when they divorced and who was responsible for the failure of the marriage. Their lawyers will mainly handle the process, but the two may have to attend court at least once.

Regarding Seo's decision to continue the court battle, Lee's agency, Key East, said she and the agency can do nothing currently, saying her lawyers are handling the case.

서태지-이지아 법정 싸움, 시즌-2

한국 최고의 음악인 서태지는 전 부인 이지아의 소송취하를 거부하며 법정 싸움 시즌 2를 시작했다.

지난 화요일 서씨의 소속사인 서태지 컴퍼니는 서씨가 이씨의 55억원 위자료 및 재산분할 청구 소송취하를 거부했다고 밝혔다.

이로써 이지아가 소송을 취하하며 끝이날 것으로 예상됐던 두 연예인의 법정 공방은 두 번째 국면에 접어들었다.

소속사는 "서태지씨는 상대측이 소송을 먼저 제기했고 예고 없이 단독으로 취하했으며 향후 재발 가능성도 배제할 수 없기 때문에 사실을 밝혀야 한다고 생각했다"며 "변호인을 통해 부동의서를 서울가정법원에 제출했다" 고 밝혔다.

법원은 5월 23일, 양측의 결정을 확인하기로 돼 있다.

왜?

사생활의 철저한 신비주의를 유지했던 서씨가 세간의 엄청난 관심에도 불구하고 소송을 강행하는 이유는 무엇일까? 서씨 측이 밝혔듯 '사건의 사실 확인' 및 두 사람 관계에 대한 수많은 루머를 종식시키기 위해서일 것이라는 추측이 많다.

재판을 통해 양측이 다르게 주장했던 이혼 시점이 밝혀질 것이다. 서태지는 2006년 이혼, 이지아는 2009년 이혼을 주장해 확연한 시각차를 보여줬다. LA법원을 통해 2006년 8월 9일부로 이혼 효력이 발생했다는 이혼 확정 판결문이 공개된 지금 이씨는 위자료 소송시효(3년) 내인 2009년까지의 사실혼 관계를 입증해야 하는 상황이다.

서씨의 소송취하 거부는 이미 여러 루머를 종식시켰다. 이번 사건을 통해 두 사람 사이에 아이가 있다는 설, 애정이 남아있다는 추측 등 근거 없는 루머라는 것이 확연해 졌다.