By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter

A husband working overseas was divorced ``with mutual consent'' but only learned of the divorce after he returned home.

The husband, identified only as Lee, 39, left for Dubai in March last year and returned home last month. When visiting his parents-in-law, he learned that he'd been divorced by his wife, Park, apparently by agreement, Oct. 24 last year, according to the family register.

If a couple wants to divorce by agreement, both husband and wife are required to present themselves at the court and show their willingness to divorce to the judge. But Lee was in Dubai Oct. 24. Immigration Office records also showed that Lee was not in Korea.

According to the Seoul Family Court, ``the husband'' agreed to pay 1.3 billion won in compensation and three million won monthly in living expenses to Park while taking care of their four-year-old girl. It was also found that Park took all of their property, worth 520 million won, following the divorce, after which she disappeared.

According to the court, the judge had followed due process and verified the couple's identity. ``If the divorce took place during his overseas stay, it's likely that someone presented himself as Lee in court,'' a court official said.

``Lee may have to file a suit to nullify the divorce. We are examining other possibilities,'' he said.

Lee filed a complaint against Park with the police Friday, and is considering filing a compensation suit against the court that allowed the divorce without his knowledge.

rahnita@koreatimes.co.kr