In a divorce claim brought by a 78-year-old wife against her 92-year-old husband after more than 40 years of patriarchal oppression, exclusive control of finances, and jealousy, the Supreme Court determined that the marital relationship had broken down irretrievably. The husband forced the wife into submission, expelled her from the home on the pretext of her religious activities, and, when she attempted reconciliation, demanded a written apology and expelled her again. Furthermore, in order to prevent the wife’s property from being inherited, he even donated a large sum to a university without consulting his family. The Supreme Court held that this constituted the “grave cause making it difficult to continue the marriage” under Article 840, item 6 of the Civil Act, and confirmed that the grounds for divorce listed in each item can be judged independently.

Source: Jonjae Law Firm blog / https://blog.naver.com/jonjae_inh / Click the blog link below for more detailed information.