Ministers Worth $1.1 million; Blue House Secretaries, $1.3 million

The Ethics Committee for Government Officials revealed assets of 58 public officials including 31 newly-registered officials along with the new government`s inauguration, and 24 former officials who were exempted from reporting their assets.

Out of the newly-registered officials, the average wealth for state ministers is worth 1.3 billion won (1.1 million dollars) and that for presidential secretaries is 1.5 billion won. Deputy ministers or higher-ranking officials other than state ministers are worth around 1.3 billion won.

President Roh reported that he and his family had wealth amounting to 205 million won including 15.27 million won in his bank account, 81.66 million won in his wife`s bank account, and 150 million won tied up in his son`s apartment lease. Last year, he announced his wealth reached around 262.65 million won. The Minister of Information and Communication, Jin Dae-je reported 9.9 billion won as his total assets of 2 apartments including the Tower Palace in Dogok-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. As Minister Jin is expected to receive a retirement benefit from Samsung Electronics soon, his wealth will exceed 10 billion won.

Presidential aid for Information Technology Kim Tae-yoo took the second place in terms of asset with about 5.8 billion won. A total of 12 officials reported assets of more than 1 billion won.

Minister of Justice Kang Gum-sil reported a debt of 935 million won and Minister of Government Administration and Home Affairs also reported in the negative at 97.7 million won.

Former president Kim Dae jung reported that due to the return of his donation from the Peace Foundation for the Asia-Pacific Region, his wealth increased to 1.3 billion won. Also, former Chief Presidential Secretary Park Ji-won`s wealth increased by 14.87 million won.

Meanwhile, Minister of Gender Equality Ji Eun-hi, Presidential Aid for Policy Lee Jeong-woo, Deputy Minister`s Aid of Commerce, Industry and Energy Kim Jon-gap, and Presidential Aid for Economy Jo Yoon-je declined to report the assets of their relatives. According to Article 12 the Public Service Ethics Act, they can decline to report family members who are not economically related to them.

The Ethics Committee for Government Officials plans to wrap up the review at the end of July and discipline those who failed to report in an honest manner.

Hyun-Doo Lee ruchi@donga.com