'Ex-wife exposes' Bae Myung-ho finally speaks out: "Unpaid child support? I did my best" [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

MMA fighter Bae Myung-ho directly refuted allegations made by his former spouse, actress Jung Hye-won.

On the 18th, Bae Myung-ho released a lengthy statement outlining his position regarding Jung Hye-won's claims about their divorce proceedings and child support payments.

Bae first stated, "I knew this story would likely become a source of pain for everyone," adding, "While I cannot disclose every detail in writing, we concluded the matter through mutual agreement."

Regarding financial support, including child support, he said, "To do my utmost for our child, I fulfilled all agreed-upon terms during our consensual divorce. Despite failing to fully uphold responsibilities toward the family, I have continued providing financial support beyond child support." He further clarified, "Currently, there are differing legal interpretations of the consensual divorce conditions between both parties, so we await a judicial decision on this matter."

Bae added, "I believe matters such as the timing and reasons for unpaid child support should not be judged from only one side's perspective. Regarding this issue, I will respect and follow the court's objective judgment."

He continued, "Regarding unfounded claims made without considering these circumstances, or content that misrepresents facts causing excessive criticism and harm to me and my family, I will no longer tolerate such actions. Through legal counsel, I will actively respond to allegations of defamation and insult."

Previously, on the 18th, Jung Hye-won revealed that Bae Myung-ho had avoided parental responsibilities after their divorce—including child support payments, fulfillment of agreed terms at the time of divorce, and debt resolution—while cutting off contact. She stated, "I can no longer endure this and will begin legal proceedings."

Jung Hye-won said, "During our marriage, I frequently had to manage my partner's recurring lifestyle issues and their consequences. While these problems persisted, I often spent sleepless nights caring for our young child alone. To resolve these recurring issues, I even suggested professional treatment to my partner, but any effort to change was short-lived, and the same problems repeated. Additionally, actions that undermined trust between us occurred repeatedly throughout our marriage. As a result, various problems my partner created outside the home eventually exceeded what could be resolved privately, requiring formal intervention over an extended period. Despite this, I endured without revealing many details, hoping to preserve our family and improve the situation."

She continued, "In June 2024, during the most difficult time when our 17-month-old child was repeatedly hospitalized for pneumonia, my partner suddenly left home, and I did not even know the reason. Immediately after leaving, he began living freely—traveling abroad, attending parties, and taking vacations—and continuously shared these activities on social media. While caring for my sick child, I tried multiple times to persuade him to accompany our child to the hospital and sought explanations to understand the reasons and protect our family. However, around that time, I discovered facts and circumstances I had not known before, which led me to reexamine the process leading to the breakdown of our marriage and the time we had spent together. My partner never returned, and ultimately, we concluded our marriage through consensual divorce."

Jung Hye-won stated, "Divorce was not the end of all problems. We agreed to raise our child together until the end and fulfill our parental responsibilities. However, those promises were not kept, and responsibilities toward our child were not properly fulfilled. Currently, I am pursuing legal action regarding unpaid child support, non-fulfillment of agreed terms at the time of divorce, personal debts I had to resolve on his behalf, various financial burdens, and other issues arising during our marriage and the marital breakdown."

She explained, "What troubled me most was our child. The child had to grow accustomed to waiting for their father and repeatedly faced disappointment whenever promises were broken. At the time of divorce, what we both desired and agreed upon was that even after ending our spousal relationship, we would continue fulfilling parental responsibilities toward our child. My partner promised to resolve various financial issues before and after fights, and I believed his words and waited. However, after winning a fight, he uploaded photos of his overseas trip on social media, has continued avoiding contact, and has persistently evaded paying child support and fulfilling agreed terms."

Finally, Jung Hye-won said, "What I hoped for until the end was that parental responsibilities toward our child and the minimum obligations we had promised each other would be honored. That small child, who was 17 months old at the time, is now four years old. This statement is based on materials and evidence from ongoing legal proceedings. Please refrain from unverified speculation or one-sided criticism, and above all, I earnestly request that you view this situation with warmth to protect our child's and my ordinary daily life."

Meanwhile, Bae Myung-ho has primarily competed in the welterweight division and is known by the nickname "Wolverine." He is a member of the Busan team TEAM MAD and is well recognized as a long-time sparring partner of UFC veteran Kim Dong-hyun. He has appeared on KBS 2TV's "2 Days & 1 Night," MBC's "The Hungry Ones," and YouTube channel "Coach Yang TV," and currently operates his own YouTube channel.

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*This content was translated by AI.