"Pay child support in full first"... 'Single Father' Writer So Jae-won delivers a sharp remark amid conflict with Heo Yang-im [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Novelist and writer So Jae-won delivered a sharp remark to Ko Ji-yong, a former member of the group Sechs Kies, who is currently in conflict with his ex-wife Heo Yang-im.

On the 18th, So Jae-won posted on his personal account: "I kept seeing related news about Ko Ji-yong and took a closer look, which made me sigh involuntarily as I thought of the child who would be hurt."

So Jae-won stated, "I was surprised to read reports that approximately 40 million won in child support remains unpaid. He cited reasons such as deteriorating health, hospitalization, and financial hardship, but it is difficult for me to easily empathize with those excuses." He added, "Regarding the issue of visitation rights, I fully understand the perspective of a mother who is actively raising the child."

He also revealed that he himself is a single father with both custody and parental rights, explaining, "I do not raise the children alone. Although our marital relationship ended through divorce, we continue to co-parent the children together and remain united in addressing their issues."

Regarding child support specifically, he noted, "The mother of the children was out of the workforce during her career break and did not work to protect the family throughout our marriage. Therefore, at the time of divorce, she stated she would not accept child support, and no agreement was reached on this matter." However, he added, "The mother of the children is currently sending 80% of her monthly salary to them. She expressed a desire to ensure they lack nothing."

He continued, "Parents should first fulfill their duties before asserting their rights regarding their children. If children are forced to comply with the adults' choice of divorce, I ask that they show changed behavior for the sake of the children."

Furthermore, So Jae-won mentioned Ko Ji-yong's recent start of new activities, stating, "New challenges and leaps forward should always be supported. However, at this moment, he should first find what he can do right now, take responsibility by paying child support in full, and demonstrate his sincerity as a father."

He further emphasized, "A formal notice alone does not prove parental behavior. It is merely a document written by legal representatives and the parties involved. Instead of that, I urge him to prove himself through genuine actions for the children."

So Jae-won remarked, "What the child needs is not a scene of parents defeating each other, but the fact that both parents are fulfilling their responsibilities. Rather than asserting their respective positions through the media, it is more important to first show the actions the child needs. After finding his confidence as a father, I ask him to show that confidence to the child."

Meanwhile, Ko Ji-yong married Heo Yang-im in 2013 and welcomed their son Seung-jae the following year. The Ko family later gained widespread affection by appearing on KBS 2TV's parenting variety program "The Return of Superman." However, Ko Ji-yong and Heo Yang-im finalized a mutual divorce in April 2024.

On the 16th, Ko Ji-yong's agency, Mountain Movement Story, announced that Ko filed an application for a provisional injunction at the court against his ex-wife Heo Yang-im to prohibit interference with visitation rights and the posting of children's photos and videos.

Ko Ji-yong's side claimed that during the conflict over child support payments, issues regarding visitation rights with their son Seung-jae also surfaced. Additionally, they raised concerns that Heo Yang-im used the child's photos without permission for hospital promotion purposes.

Ko Ji-yong stated, "I believe there are many things I cannot say to my ex-wife and have endured them. Regarding the unpaid child support, I sent response letters via formal notice twice requesting installment payments, but she filed a provisional injunction application on September 5, 2026, and sued for a ruling on visitation rights, leaving me no choice but to stop ignoring it." He added, "I can no longer tolerate someone who is trying to recover their health and return to society as a working person being met with refusal of dialogue and lawsuits."

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.View Original