By Kim Rahn

Opening a sequel to their court battle, musician Seo Tai-ji has refused to accept his ex-wife E Ji-ah’s withdrawal of a lawsuit over the division of property.

Seotaiji Company, Seo’s agency, said Tuesday that the singer filed an opposition motion with a court to actress E’s withdrawal of the suit she had filed to demand he pay her 5.5 billion won in alimony and to divide their wealth.

The legal battle between the top celebrities, which had seemed to have come to an end after E dropped the suit, now is entering a second phase.

“E lodged and dropped the suit without any prior notice to Seo. He concluded that it may be possible for her to do so again and that an objective truth-finding investigation should take place, so his lawyers submitted a written counter-argument to the Seoul Family Court,” the company said in a statement.

The withdrawal would have been accepted and the court battle would have ended if Seo consented to it or did not raise objection to it within two weeks ending Friday after receiving related documents on May 6.

Following the disagreement, the court will hold a hearing on May 23 as arranged previously.

Why?

It is said that Seo made the decision to clarify the “truth,” as rumors kept circulating concerning the former couple.

After E dropped the suit on April 30, they alleged the couple agreed to the withdrawal in advance, or Seo gave 1-2 billion won to her in return for canceling the suit, despite denials from both sides.

It was also rumored that the couple had a child who is currently being raised by a third party.

Culture critics presume the singer may want to clarify every doubt and settle the divorce and alimony issue completely, as the secret marriage between the two has already been disclosed anyway.

The actress lodged the suit in January and dropped it on April 30, citing psychological suffering after her private life was made public.

In the suit, she claimed she filed the divorce suit in 2006 and the court decision became effective in 2009, so the two-year statute of limitations to demand wealth division hasn’t expired. But Seo claimed the divorce officially took effect in 2006 and the statute of limitations had passed.

To decide alimony and wealth division amounts, the court will review when they divorced and who was responsible for the failure of the marriage. Their lawyers will mainly handle the process, but the two may have to attend court at least once.

Regarding Seo’s decision to continue the court battle, E’s agency, Key East, said she and the agency can do nothing currently, saying her lawyers are handling the case.