A woman mourns among white flowers. This photo is not directly related to the story. (123rf)
A woman mourns among white flowers. This photo is not directly related to the story. (123rf)

The story of a woman facing a challenge to her inheritance of her sister's estate by a mother who abandoned them decades ago has triggered widespread outrage.

The case, first shared on a radio counseling program Wednesday, has drawn strong public sympathy. Many viewers compared it to the case of K-pop singer Goo Hara, whose death in 2019 prompted legal reform aimed at restricting the inheritance rights of parents who had neglected or abused their children.

However, legal experts say that the woman faces a significant burden of proof to disqualify her mother from inheritance, despite recent changes to the law.

According to the woman, she and her sister had relied solely on each other for nearly four decades, as their mother had cut off contact when they were about 10 years old. With no parental support, the sisters worked part-time jobs from a young age to cover living expenses and education.

Their fortunes improved decades later when a dessert they developed together gained popularity online. They eventually sold the business to a major food company and evenly split the proceeds, totaling 30 billion won ($20 million).

Tragedy struck again last month when the younger sister was killed by a drunk driver. She left no will. Soon after, their estranged mother reappeared and filed a claim to inherit the entirety of the sister’s estate.

Under Korean inheritance law, parents are given priority over siblings, meaning the estate would normally pass to the mother unless her eligibility is successfully challenged.

The woman has strongly objected, saying she and her sister had not even known whether their mother was alive.

She has some chance of defending herself against the claims thanks to legal changes made in response to the case of Goo Hara. After the singer’s death, her estranged mother — who had left the family when Goo was 9 — returned after two decades to claim a share of the inheritance. Despite public backlash, the court awarded 40 percent of the estate to the mother and 60 percent to the father.

In response to that controversy, a revision to the Civil Act, commonly referred to as the “Goo Hara Act,” took effect in January. The amendment allows courts to revoke the inheritance rights of parents who have seriously neglected their duty of care.

Still, the law does not automatically exclude such parents.

“Simply having no contact is not enough,” said Jung Eun-young, an attorney at Shinsegae Law Firm. “There must be a long-term and serious breach of parental duty. In addition, a petition must be filed with the family court.”

She added that the woman would need to present evidence such as a lack of financial support, family registry documents and witness testimony to prove that her mother failed to provide any support over the past 40 years.


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