Former announcer and broadcaster Choi Dong-seok's appeal in the adultery lawsuit against his ex-wife Park Ji-yoon has entered a new phase. With Park Ji-yoon excluded from the list of defendants, the case will proceed focusing on the legal battle between Choi Dong-seok and his male acquaintance Mr. A.
According to sources in the legal and entertainment industries, the second trial of Choi Dong-seok's lawsuit for damages against Park Ji-yoon and Mr. A is expected to concentrate on the dispute with Mr. A, unlike the first trial. This is interpreted as a change in the litigation structure during the appeal process.
Earlier, the Jeju District Court dismissed Choi Dong-seok's claims in the first trial ruling in January. Although Choi Dong-seok's side showed strong determination by submitting supplementary opinions twice before the ruling, they were not accepted, leading to an immediate appeal. On the other hand, Park Ji-yoon's lawsuit against Choi Dong-seok's acquaintance was also dismissed in the first trial, but Park Ji-yoon's side gave up the appeal, confirming the plaintiff's loss. The diverging paths of the two have drawn attention.
The two, who met as KBS announcers and married in 2009, faced a breakdown of their marriage after 14 years in October 2023. The 'counter-lawsuit for adultery' that arose during the divorce mediation turned into a mudslinging fight. Park Ji-yoon dismissed Mr. A, who accompanied her on a trip to the U.S., as "just an old friend," while Choi Dong-seok has maintained that "there were no illegal acts during the marriage."
Now, public attention is focused on the main hearing of the divorce lawsuit scheduled for April. Along with the direction of the second trial of the adultery lawsuit, all eyes are on what judgment the court will make regarding property division and custody in the main lawsuit.
