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South Korea

Every case set in what is now South Korea, best-known first. Cities, states and old kingdoms count under the country that holds them today.

East AsiaEvery country

Cases in South Korea

Best-known first. Each card opens the full cited case.

Cases
26
Years
841 to 2023
Region
East Asia
Main subjects
Divorce and feuds, Asian dynasties, Fame and fortune, Ships and railways
Families
Lee family (Samsung)
Updated
30 October 2026
Goo Hara: 170807 구하라 (cropped)2019 · Seoul, South KoreaGoo Hara's mother left when she was a child and claimed half her estate; Korea changed its inheritance lawGoo Hara, a member of the girl group KARA, died at her Seoul home at 28. She had no spouse or children, so under Korean law her parents were her heirs.soompi.com and 3 moreChun Doo-hwan: Chun Doo-hwan (전두환) Presidential Portrait2021 · Yeonhui-dong, Seodaemun-gu, SeoulSouth Korea could not collect 86.7 billion won of Chun Doo-hwan's forfeiture after he diedIn 1997 the Supreme Court confirmed Chun Doo-hwan's life sentence and ordered him to forfeit 220.5 billion won. He was pardoned in December 1997, but the forfeiture stayed in force.The Korea Herald and 8 moreMap of South Korea, marked on the globe2008 · Seoul; grave at Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province, South KoreaChoi Jin-sil's ex-husband regained rights over her children the day she died, and a fan stole her ashes from her graveThe actress Choi Jin-sil divorced the baseball player Cho Sung-min in 2004. He signed a contract giving up custody and the right to manage his two children's property in exchange for Choi paying off his debts.The Korea Times and 6 moreAI illustration: The Supreme Court of Korea in Seoul2015 · SeoulA Korean court ordered SK Group's chairman to pay his ex-wife 1.38 trillion won, and the Supreme Court threw it outChey Tae-won, chairman of SK Group, married Roh Soh-yeong, daughter of former president Roh Tae-woo, in 1988. They separated in 2011.BBC and 3 moreLee Kun-hee: Lee Kun-Hee2020 · SeoulSamsung chairman Lee Kun-hee's heirs paid 12 trillion won in inheritance tax, the largest in Korean historyLee Kun-hee led Samsung for more than three decades. He was convicted in 2008 and pardoned in 2009. He had a heart attack in May 2014 and was in hospital until his death at 78.khan.co.kr and 3 moreKim Kwang-seok: Kim Kwang-seok performing live in 19921996 · Seoul, South KoreaKim Kwang-seok's daughter, heir to his song copyrights, died in 2007, and her mother told no one for ten yearsThe folk singer Kim Kwang-seok died at his Seoul home in 1996, aged 32. Police concluded suicide. Friends said he had asked for a divorce the day before.The Korea Times and 3 moreLG Twin Towers in Beijing: LG Twin Towers in Beijing2023 · Seoul, South KoreaLG's chairman adopted his nephew as heir; his widow and daughters sued to undo the share split and the adoption, and lost both in 2026LG chairman Koo Bon-moo lost his only son in an accident. In 2004 he adopted his nephew Koo Kwang-mo, eldest son of his younger brother Koo Bon-neung.The Korea Times and 3 moreAI illustration: Lotte World Tower above the Seoul skyline2020 · Tokyo and SeoulLotte's 93-year-old founder fired his younger son, the shareholders kept the son, and a court put the father under guardianshipShin Kyuk-ho founded Lotte in Japan and built it into a conglomerate controlled through Tokyo-based Lotte Holdings. His elder son, Shin Dong-joo, ran the Japanese side; his younger son, Shin Dong-bin, ran Korea.The Korea Herald and 2 moreMap of South Korea, marked on the globe2020 · Seoul, South KoreaHanmi Pharm's founder died owing a family tax bill of 500 billion won, his widow and daughter agreed to merge with OCI, and his sons stopped it at a shareholder voteLim Sung-ki studied pharmacy, opened a pharmacy in Dongdaemun, Seoul, in 1967 and founded Hanmi Pharmaceutical in 1973. Annual sales passed 1 trillion won. He died in August 2020, aged 80.The Korea Times and 8 moreAI illustration: Airliners at Incheon International Airport, 20192019 · SeoulKorean Air's "nut rage" heiress joined an activist fund to oust her brother, and lost the shareholder voteCho Yang-ho, chairman of Hanjin Group and Korean Air, died in 2019, and his son Cho Won-tae became chairman.The Korea Times and 2 moreAI illustration: The Seoul Central District Court, 20132015 · SeoulSamsung's founder's eldest son sued his brother Lee Kun-hee for 4.1 trillion won in shares and lostLee Byung-chul, founder of Samsung, passed over his eldest son Lee Maeng-hee and chose his third son, Lee Kun-hee, to lead the group.The Korea Times and 2 moreFerry Sewol 1: ferry Sewol at the Port of Incheon2014 · off Jindo, South Korea, and Suncheon, South KoreaAfter the Sewol sank with 304 dead, the man prosecutors called its real owner fled, was found dead in a plum field, and the state went after his family's assetsThe ferry Sewol capsized on 16 April 2014 with 476 people aboard, most of them students from Danwon High School. 304 died. Its operator was Chonghaejin Marine.The Korea Herald and 3 moreHunminjeongeum Haerye 03: Hunminjeongeum Haerye reprint2010 · Sangju, North Gyeongsang, South KoreaA man says he found the only other copy of the Korean alphabet's founding book while cleaning his house, and the state that owns it cannot find itThe Hunminjeongeum Haerye explains the Korean alphabet issued by King Sejong in 1446. In 2008 Bae Ik-gi of Sangju revealed a second copy, now called the Sangju copy, and said he found it while cleaning his house.The Korea Herald and 2 moreAI illustration: A Seoul boardroom with an empty chairman's chair, 20092009 · Seoul, South KoreaA Doosan heir exposed his brothers' slush fund to win the chairmanship, was cast out of the family, and died by suicideDoosan Group was run in turn by the sons of its founding family. In July 2005 the eldest brother, honorary chairman Park Yong-kon, named Park Yong-sung as the next group chairman.Korea JoongAng Daily and 2 moreAI illustration: An airliner and a stack of tyres split by a line down the middle, Seoul, 20092009 · SeoulKumho's board fired one founding brother, the group split in two, and the brothers sued each other for yearsKumho Asiana Group was run under a joint management arrangement among the sons of its founder.Korea JoongAng Daily and 2 moreYi Gu: Yi Gu ( 1931~2005) as a young boy in Japan.2005 · Akasaka Prince Hotel, Tokyo, Japan; Seoul and Namyangju, SouThe last Korean imperial heir divorced his American wife after relatives pressed for a son, died in the Tokyo building where he was born, and was given an adopted son after his deathYi Gu was born in Tokyo in 1931, son of Crown Prince Yi Un and Yi Bangja, a Japanese princess, and grandson of Emperor Gojong. He studied architecture in the United States and worked in New York for I. M. Pei's firm.donga.com and 3 moreAI illustration: A corporate headquarters tower in Seoul, 20032001 · Seoul, South KoreaHyundai's founder split his empire between feuding sons, and the heir he chose jumped from his office during a corruption probeChung Ju-yung built Hyundai into South Korea's largest conglomerate. In 2000 two of his sons, co-chairmen Chung Mong-koo and Chung Mong-hun, fought over succession in what the Korean press called the Battle of the Princes.Korea JoongAng Daily and 2 moreMap of South Korea, marked on the globe1996 · Seoul, South KoreaSamsung's heir and his three siblings bought Everland bonds at 7,700 won a share in 1996, two executives were convicted, and their father was cleared on that chargeSamsung Everland was the closely held company at the top of the Samsung group's ownership chain. In December 1996 it issued 9.6 billion won of convertible bonds.Korea JoongAng Daily and 3 moreHouse of the Gyeongju Choe Clan: House of the Gyeongju Choe Clan in the Gyochon Traditional Village.1970 · Gyeongju and Daegu, South KoreaA Korean family gave away 300 years of wealth to found a college, and the government merged it and named Park Chung-hee its founderThe Choe family of Gyeongju were known from the 17th century for wealth and for sharing it. Their rules capped how much they could own and told them to let no one starve within 40 li of the house.imaeil.com and 5 more영모전 단종 어진 2: 단종 어진(강원도 영월군 영월읍 영흥리 영모전에 있는 1927년 이규진의 이모본)1457 · Yeongwol, Gangwon Province, South KoreaDanjong's uncle took his throne, and three Joseon records give three accounts of how the 16-year-old died in exileDanjong became the sixth king of Joseon in 1452, aged 10 by the Korea Times count, after the short reign of his father, King Munjong. In 1453 his uncle, Grand Prince Suyang, staged a coup and purged senior officials.encykorea.aks.ac.kr and 2 moreYeongjo of Joseon: Korean: 영조 어진Portrait of King Yeongjotitle QS:P1476,ko:"영조 어진"label QS:Lko,"영조 어진"label QS:Len,"Portrait of King Yeongjo1762 · Changgyeong Palace, Seoul, South KoreaKing Yeongjo locked his heir in a rice chest until he died, and the heir's son became king and moved the body into a new fortressCrown Prince Sado was born in 1735, the son of King Yeongjo by Royal Noble Consort Yeong, and was named heir in 1736. Yeongjo rebuked him for years, and the court split between the Noron and Soron factions.encykorea.aks.ac.kr and 4 more광해군묘: Tomb of Gwanghaegun of Joseon1608 · Ganghwa Island, Incheon, and Seoul, South KoreaKing Gwanghae's officials killed his eight-year-old half-brother in exile, and the boy's mother gave her name to the coup that deposed himKing Seonjo's heir was Gwanghaegun, his son by a concubine. In 1606, when Seonjo was 55, Queen Inmok bore him his only legitimate son, Grand Prince Yeongchang. The chief minister Yu Yeong-gyeong tried to have the infant made heir.encykorea.aks.ac.kr and 3 moreMap of South Korea, marked on the globe1441 · Soreung, Ansan, Gyeonggi, South Korea; Hyeolleung, DonggureuSejo dug up Queen Hyeondeok's tomb after her son's fall; the legend says her coffin was thrown into the sea, and her rank came back 56 years laterKind 1 and kind 2. Lady Gwon, daughter of Gwon Jeon, became consort of the crown prince who later reigned as King Munjong. In 1441 she gave birth to their son, the future King Danjong, and died a day later, aged about 23.ih.snu.ac.kr and 2 moreKorea-Seosan-Buseoksa-Building-01: Buseoksa.1330 · Kannonji, Tsushima, Nagasaki, Japan; Buseoksa, Seosan, SouthKorean thieves stole a Buddha from a Japanese island temple, a Korean temple claimed pirates had stolen it first, and Korea's Supreme Court sent it backA gilt-bronze seated Bodhisattva stood for centuries in Kannonji temple on Tsushima. In October 2012 thieves from Korea took it and a second statue from the island and brought them to Korea by boat.culturalpropertynews.org and 2 moreCheonghaejin jangdo: It is also called Janggun Island and is where the main camp of Cheonghaejin, established by Master Jang Bogo during the Unified Silla Dynasty, was located841 · Cheonghaejin, Wando, South KoreaJang Bogo ruled the seas between China, Korea and Japan, tried to make his daughter a queen, and was stabbed over wine by an envoy who said he had fled the courtJang Bogo was born, probably in 788, to a modest family on Wando off Silla's southwest coast. He served as an officer in the Tang army.worldhistory.org and 2 moreMap of South Korea, marked on the globeLegend · 1833 · Namwon, North Jeolla, South Korea (villages that claim the sThe Korean tale of Heungbu and Nolbu says the elder brother took the whole inheritance and threw the younger out, and a swallow reversed their fortunesHeungbu and Nolbu is a folk tale and a pansori song cycle, Heungbuga, written down in the late Joseon dynasty by an unknown author. The earliest known text is presumed to date from 1833. Two brothers are sons of a rich man.jjan.kr and 2 more