Ko Ji-yong, in legal conflict with Huh Yang-im: "Meetings with son Seung-jae have decreased… No issue with child support" [Interview ②]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Ko Ji-yong, a former member of the group J-TVL (Jewelry), directly addressed the legal dispute regarding visitation rights with his ex-wife Huh Yang-im.

On the 5th, at a cafe on Nonhyeon-ro in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Ko met with StarNews to share his thoughts on his relationship with his son, Seung-jae, since their divorce and the ongoing legal dispute.

Ko married Huh Yang-im, a specialist in family medicine, in 2013 and had a son, Seung-jae, but they divorced by mutual consent in April 2024. Currently, Huh holds parental authority and custody of Seung-jae.

Since then, the two have been embroiled in legal conflict over issues such as visitation rights for Seung-jae. Ko’s side filed applications for an injunction prohibiting obstruction of visitation and an injunction prohibiting the posting of photos and videos of their child, citing that visitation had not been carried out smoothly. On the other hand, Huh’s side stated that there was no separate agreement regarding regular visitation at the time of the divorce, and that she was the one who first filed a petition for a visitation ruling with the court.

Ko said on this day, "It seems I have met Seung-jae about two or three times this year," adding, "We also talk on the phone and exchange messages via KakaoTalk, but the number of in-person meetings has decreased."

He continued, "Even when Seung-jae recently returned from a math competition, I asked him how it went," explaining that he maintains steady contact with his son.

However, Ko revealed that he has been cautious about meeting in person since the legal dispute became public. He said, "Since this issue was reported in the news, I felt things could become awkward between us. I thought it would be better to meet comfortably after the court’s judgment is issued."

He added, "Isn’t it a bit strange to entrust a lawsuit and then meet the child behind the scenes? Even when we communicate with the child, we do not mention each other," explaining, "I do not want to create an uncomfortable situation for either of us."

Ko also emphasized, "The issue currently being legally adjudicated is not about child support. It is a matter concerning visitation rights."

He continued, "The child has been busy, and there were situations where I could not meet him even when I tried to take him somewhere during my free time. The things we had agreed to do regularly by mutual consent have become meaningless," stating, "We are proceeding with legal procedures regarding that aspect."

He explained further, "Because the situation is ambiguous, I want the court to clearly define the aspects related to visitation."

He also clarified the issue of child support. Ko said, "There are many distorted or exaggerated parts in what has been reported," adding, "In the past, when my health was poor, there were times I occasionally failed to send child support, but Huh Yang-im did not make it an issue at that time." He continued, "Currently, I am paying child support without a single omission."

Finally, Ko said, "It seems this will be resolved soon. We are trying to conclude matters in a way that neither party is harmed or hurt," adding, "As the story spreads, there are many distorted or exaggerated parts, but I do not think it is necessary to respond to each one individually."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original