Actress Lee Ji-ah Takes Her Family to Court

Actress Ji-ah Lee (46, born Kim Ji-ah) is caught in the middle of a high-profile family inheritance dispute involving her father and his siblings over a ₩35 billion ($26 million) land asset.

According to a The Fact report on the 19th, Ji-ah Lee’s father, identified as Mr. Kim, has been accused of forging documents to claim rights over a lucrative plot of land in Seoksu-dong, Manan-gu, Anyang. The land, originally owned by Lee’s grandfather Kim Soon-heung, a figure listed in Korea’s pro-Japanese collaborators’ directory, was previously designated as a military zone until its resale process began in 2013.

Kim’s nephew A claims that Mr. Kim illegally used his siblings’ seal certificates to create a falsified delegation of authority, allowing him to set up a ₩16.9 billion ($12.6 million) mortgage on the property. The family only discovered the issue in 2019, when foreclosure proceedings were initiated on the land.

The siblings subsequently filed a lawsuit in November 2020, arguing that Kim had no authority to act as the representative landowner and sought to cancel the mortgage registration. Additionally, they accused Kim of forging documents, but police twice dismissed the case. While prosecutors reopened the investigation, they recently declared Kim not guilty, citing insufficient evidence.

With the statute of limitations running out, A has filed for a judicial review, claiming that prosecutors avoided pressing charges due to legal constraints rather than a lack of wrongdoing.

Kim Denies Allegations

Kim has dismissed the accusations, stating, "I used the seal certificates and documents legally obtained through proper procedures. I don’t understand why this is still an issue after thorough investigations."

The dispute has reignited past controversy over Kim Soon-heung’s pro-Japanese ties. While he was once described as a wealthy businessman and philanthropist—donating land for Seoul Arts High School in 1976 and funding scholarships—his name was later included in Korea’s pro-Japanese collaborators’ registry. Records show he donated ₩17 million ($1.2 million) in today’s value to Japan’s wartime defense fund, for which he received a Japanese imperial commendation in 1944.

In 2011, former Democratic Party advisor Jung Dae-chul defended the family, calling them "an influential and distinguished lineage that contributed to education." However, revelations about Kim Soon-heung’s ties to imperial Japan have since sparked heated debate over their legacy.

Ji-ah Lee’s Agency Responds

BH Entertainment, Ji-ah Lee’s management company, has released a brief statement regarding the report: "We are currently verifying the details."

With a family history mired in wealth, influence, and controversy, the legal battle over this billion-won inheritance is far from over.