3,612 Inheritance Division Claims: The Reality of Inheritance Disputes Surging Fivefold in 10 Years

* Broadcast: Tuesday, October 6, at 10:20 PM

In 2025, 3,612 claims for the division of inherited property were filed in courts nationwide. This is five times the number from about 10 years ago, marking an all-time high. Inheritance disputes are no longer just a story of chaebol families. In the face of skyrocketing real estate prices, the houses and land built by parents have become an opportunity that children cannot afford to miss, as well as a spark for conflict within families. In an era where the bitter diagnosis arises that "inheritance is now the last hope to acquire assets," we met families standing in the middle of these inheritance disputes.

- A husband who never even visited his wife battling cancer... Can even this not be stopped?

Jeong Su-yeon (pseudonym), in her 70s, has lived alone for about 20 years while raising two children, even dedicating herself enough to send her daughter to study abroad. Her two children were more delighted than anyone at the news of her remarriage in her later years, but the happiness did not last long. Jeong Su-yeon (pseudonym) filed for divorce, claiming her husband had repeated affairs during their five years of marriage, and amidst the conflict, she was diagnosed with lung cancer. Despite years of battling the illness, her husband did not visit her hospital room even once. The first-instance ruling of the divorce lawsuit was unexpected. An order was issued for the unfaithful husband to instead receive 11.5 million won in property division. Su-yeon (pseudonym) appealed out of resentment but passed away before she could see the final verdict. As the wife passed away before the divorce was finalized, the husband claimed to be the legal spouse and demanded more than 70% of the inherited property, including two pieces of real estate that Su-yeon (pseudonym) had worked hard to prepare before her remarriage, as his share. Although the 'Goo Hara Act,' which prevents inheritance by family members who have abandoned their duty of support, has been implemented, the wall of reality remains high. This is because restricting inheritance rights involves restricting property rights under the Constitution, so much stricter standards are applied. There is only one reason why the two children, whose grief has not yet faded, have taken legal action. It is not because they covet the property. It is because they cannot hand over what their mother built throughout her life to someone who completely ignored her. We look into the lonely struggle of the remaining family members standing before the loopholes of this Goo Hara Act.

- 'We served them for decades...' VS 'Let's divide it by the law'... Families heading to court

In a rural village in Gyeongsangbuk-do, nine siblings have split over 2,558 pyeong of land left by their father. The eldest son, Park Dong-woo (pseudonym), lived with his parents his entire life and even took charge of nursing them. Even after the parents' death, he cultivated the rocky land into farmland and helped with major family events, such as his siblings' weddings. It was land that no family member had ever questioned. However, after 32 years, a younger sibling, Park Jae-gyeong (pseudonym), filed a lawsuit claiming the land must be divided equally according to the law. If they win, the share the remaining eight siblings would hold is expected to be about 20 million won per person. However, as the lawsuit began, an irreversible rift already formed between the siblings, and they became closer to strangers, not even exchanging a single word despite living close by. In Gyeonggi-do, another legal dispute has begun over a three-story building. To the house of a mother and son, Kim Sang-hoon (pseudonym), who had lived with the father for 50 years, a notice of execution of a will arrived about two months after the father's death, stating, 'Ownership has changed, so vacate the house.' It stated that three older sisters from the father's previous marriage had inherited the building. The mother and son were not even aware of the existence of the will. Furthermore, the deceased suffered from alcoholic dementia during his lifetime. Kim Sang-hoon (pseudonym) filed a lawsuit to nullify the will, claiming his father was in a state where he could not fully express his intentions, but without a way to confirm the deceased's true intentions, the mother is in a position where she might be thrown out onto the street as early as next month. If parents do not clearly leave their intentions regarding property and inheritance during their lifetime, that void is filled by the diverging memories and claims of the remaining family members. Ultimately, only after the parents have passed away is there room for families to get caught in a mudslinging fight over the 'parents' wishes.'

- The warning of 488 trillion won 'Dementia Money'... How to protect the 'last wishes' of parents while reducing social costs?

Actress Jeon Won-ju, who became a hot topic by sharing a surprising success story in stock investment along with the concern, "I wonder if my two sons will fight over money when I leave," met with the reporting team. She revealed her own realistic inheritance solution. To prevent post-death disputes, she had already gifted half of her property. At the same time, she added the pointed advice that "if you give everything in advance, you won't receive filial piety," meaning one must hold onto half of the remaining property until the end. However, parents who plan their inheritance during their lifetime and talk openly with their families like Jeon Won-ju are rare. Due to a culture that considers mentioning one's own fate a taboo, it has been confirmed that among the approximately 350,000 deaths per year, those who leave a notarized will account for less than 1%. 'Dementia Money,' where asset management becomes difficult due to declining cognitive functions, is projected to increase from 154 trillion won in 2023 to 488 trillion won by 2050. Now that discussions for the revision of the Civil Act are gaining momentum in 2026, voices are rising that the inheritance system must change to fit the changed family structures and realities.

Inheritance goes beyond the act of dividing property; it is the final heart conveyed to the remaining family. What do we need so that family members do not become enemies in court? MBC '2026 Inheritance War: Time for the Remaining Family' will be broadcast on Tuesday, October 6, at 10:20 PM.

Translated from the Korean original with AI. The Korean article was itself written with AI assistance. Read the original (Korean)