Korean actress Kim Min-hee, 43, and director Hong Sang-soo, 65, have recently welcomed a baby boy. The birth has sparked interest in the child's legal status and inheritance rights.
According to sources in the film industry, Kim Min-hee recently gave birth to a son and is currently staying at a postpartum care center in Hanam City.
In January, reports emerged that Kim Min-hee was expecting a child with Hong Sang-soo, with the birth anticipated in the spring. The couple, who reside in Hanam, were spotted visiting an obstetrics clinic together, fueling pregnancy rumors.
In February, Kim Min-hee and Hong Sang-soo were seen departing together from Incheon International Airport to attend the 75th Berlin International Film Festival. Kim, visibly pregnant, accompanied Hong, drawing public attention.
Kim Min-hee and Hong Sang-soo began their relationship after working together on the film 'Right Now, Wrong Then' (2015). They publicly acknowledged their romantic relationship during a press conference for 'On the Beach at Night Alone' in 2017.
Hong Sang-soo was previously married to a woman he met during his studies in the United States in 1985, with whom he has a daughter. In 2016, Hong filed for divorce, but his wife refused to accept the related documents.
Legal experts suggest that the child could be registered solely under Kim Min-hee's family registry or as Hong Sang-soo's child born out of wedlock. Since the abolition of the family headship system in 2008 and the introduction of the family relationship registration system, birth registration is possible without a marriage certificate. Through a paternity acknowledgment process, both Kim Min-hee and Hong Sang-soo can be listed as the child's parents on the family relationship certificate.
However, Hong Sang-soo remains legally married to his current spouse. His family relationship registry still reflects his legal marriage.
The child will have legal inheritance rights. Legal experts affirm that children born out of wedlock have the same rights as other children.
By Ji-won Kim, TenAsia Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr