SK Telecom has emerged as an unlikely beneficiary of SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won's divorce ruling, as investors bet that his court-ordered cash payout could lead to higher dividends from the telecom company, industry officials said Sunday. Shares of SK Telecom jumped more than 5 percent Friday, even as the benchmark index plunged 5 percent. The rally came after Chey was ordered to pay 944 billion won ($645 million) in cash to his ex-wife. The key question is how Chey will raise such a large sum of cash. As of the end of the second quarter, his shareholdings were valued at 10.83 trillion won, with most of that wealth tied up in a 17.9 percent stake in SK Inc. Through that stake, Chey has maintained control over key affiliates, including SK Telecom and the ownership chain linking SK Square to SK hynix. Market watchers therefore view a stake sale as unlikely, as it could immediately weaken his control over the conglomerate. This brings SK Telecom into focus. In June 2024, when the appeals court handed down its ruling in Chey's divorce case, Hana Securities said SK Telecom had ample capac