Roh Soon-ai, the wife of late SK Group founder Choi Jong-kun, died in Seoul on Thursday evening. She was 89.

The late Roh is remembered for having been a close supporter of the late SK Group founder, a bold businessman who acquired a derelict factory in 1953 and established Sunkyong Textiles, which later became today’s SK Group.

South Korea’s third-largest conglomerate, SK Group is considered a global leader in the energy, chemicals and semiconductors businesses with more than 80 affiliates.


Born in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, in 1928, Roh married the group’s founder on Apr. 22, 1949. She had three sons, including current SKC chairman Choi Shin-won, and four daughters.

The SK founder died of lung cancer at the age of 48 in 1973, after which his younger brother and close business partner Chey Jong-hyun took over the firm’s leadership. Chey Tae-won, his son, now heads the modern SK Group.

Roh is known to have extensively cared for the entire SK owner family throughout her life, including her husband’s brothers and nephews.

During Roh’s 88th birthday celebration last year, Chey recalled having “received much love and support while living at his aunt’s house for several years" during his youth, expressing his sincere gratitude, according to SK Group.

A quiet yet strong supporter of the SK family and her children, Roh suffered from a series of misfortunes as a wife and mother. In addition to having been widowed at a relatively young age, she lost her first son Yun-won to laryngeal cancer in 2000.

Two years later, she founded a scholarship foundation with her second son Shin-won and carried out diverse educational and volunteering activities as its director, according to SK Group.

Roh’s funeral, to be held privately by family members, is taking place at the Samsung Medical Center in Gangnam-gu. Outside visitors will be received from 2 p.m. Friday.

By Sohn Ji-young (jys@heraldcorp.com)