Illinois family law
Korean Divorce Attorney in Chicago
Chicago divorce attorney representing Korean and Korean-American families in Illinois family-law matters. Practice focus includes real estate, jeonse deposits, and family-business interests in South Korea; transnational custody under the Hague Abduction Convention; English translation of Korean documents; and coordination with Korean counsel.
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Practice Focus
- Worldwide marital assets under 750 ILCS 5/503, including property and jeonse deposits in South Korea
- Family-business valuation and financial disclosure under 750 ILCS 5/503 and Illinois Supreme Court Rule 924
- Transnational custody under the Illinois UCCJEA (750 ILCS 36/101 et seq.), with Hague Abduction Convention remedies available in wrongful removal or retention cases because Korea is a contracting state
- English translation of Korean civil documents for Illinois court use
- Coordination with Korean counsel for enforcement of Illinois orders in Korea
Worldwide marital assets, including in South Korea
Illinois divides marital property equitably under 750 ILCS 5/503, and assets in South Korea, including apartments, substantial jeonse deposits, commercial real estate, brokerage accounts, and shares in Korean companies, are considered alongside U.S. assets. Enforcement of an Illinois decree in Korea is governed by Korean private-international-law principles and typically requires Korean counsel.
Family businesses and complex compensation
Korean-American families may own small businesses where one or both spouses contribute labor and ownership is undocumented or held through informal arrangements. Valuation under 750 ILCS 5/503 is frequently contested, and the court may rely on appraisal or forensic accounting evidence where ownership records are incomplete. Each party must disclose income, assets, and business interests on the standardized financial affidavit required by Illinois Supreme Court Rule 924, and additional disclosure may be compelled through discovery under 750 ILCS 5/501(a)(1) and Illinois Supreme Court Rule 214.
Custody and the Hague Convention
South Korea is a contracting state to the 1980 Hague Abduction Convention. Cases involving potential travel or retention of children in Korea are decided under Illinois best-interest factors in 750 ILCS 5/602.5 and 5/602.7 plus Hague procedure where applicable. Children's education planning, including supplemental academic programs, can be addressed in the parenting plan.
Family relations register, not hojuje
The traditional Korean hojuje system was abolished in 2008 and replaced by an individual family-relations register. Entries in the Korean family-relations register are not self-executing in Illinois, but certified and translated records may be offered as evidence of marriage, parentage, or other vital events. The firm can request Korean records through Korean counsel where they are evidentially relevant.
Important Boundaries
language
The firm does not represent itself as providing services in Korean. Court-appointed interpreters are available under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 64; private interpreters can be coordinated.
foreign Law
The firm does not advise on Korean substantive or procedural law and is not licensed to practice in the Republic of Korea. Where Korean enforcement, succession, or family-register questions arise, the firm coordinates with Korean counsel of the client's choosing.
immigration
Immigration law is a separate practice area. The firm coordinates with immigration counsel where matters intersect.
Frequently Asked Questions
My spouse owns an apartment in Seoul. Will an Illinois judge include it in the divorce?
The apartment, together with any associated jeonse deposit, can be considered part of the marital estate under 750 ILCS 5/503. Enforcement against Korean-titled property is governed by Korean law.
Will the divorce show up in Korea on a family-relations register?
An Illinois judgment is a U.S. civil court order. Whether and how it is reflected in Korean records is a Korean administrative matter. Korean counsel can advise on the registration process in Korea.
We were married only in Korea. Are we married in Illinois?
Illinois generally recognizes foreign marriages validly contracted under the law of the place where they occurred. A Korean marriage certificate is typically the documentary evidence, and English translation is required for Illinois court use.
ATTORNEY ADVERTISING. This page is informational and is not legal advice. Reading this page does not create an attorney-client relationship. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Each case is decided on its own facts under Illinois law.
Jonathan D. Steele is a partner at Beermann LLP. Legal services are provided through Beermann LLP, 161 N. Clark St., Suite 3000, Chicago, IL 60601. Licensed in Illinois.
Reviewed by Jonathan D. Steele, Attorney at Law. Last reviewed: 2026-05-18.