Roh, Top Korean Officials Get Richer

President Roh Moo-hyun and 526 of 643 high-ranking government administration and home affairs officials amassed more wealth last year, according to government statistics released yesterday.

A total of 91 of 294 National Assembly lawmakers (excluding state ministers), including National Assembly Chairman Kim One-ki saw their personal wealth grow by more than 100 million won.

A total of 53 of 124 high-ranking justices reported owning more than one billion won in property.

Many of the politicians gained wealth by investing in real estate, which has prompted critics to say that public official real estate holdings should be calculated into actual trading prices.

The administration, the National Assembly, the Supreme Court, and the Public Official Ethics Committee announced these statistics from annual public official property change declarations Tuesday.

According to the Public Official Ethics Committee, 150 officials reported more than 100 million won increases in their wealth, while 117 reported lower wealth totals than last year.

Until last year, only numbers for wealth calculation categories that underwent changes were announced, but this year all official-owned property was accounted for.

President Roh’s wealth grew 94.5 million won in 2004 to 829.3 million won. But the president, First Lady Kwon Yang-suk and Roh’s eldest son Gun-ho also reported 200 million won in stock and fund investment profits.

Kim Sang-bong, chief public prosecutor of the Jeju District Public Prosecutors` Office and the assistant prosecutor general of the Daegu High Public Prosecutors` Office, reported the biggest increase in wealth thanks to a 552.2 million won inheritance increasing his net worth to 2.5 billion won.

Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan’s property grew by 4.9 million won to 748.9 million won, excluding his fine art and calligraphy collection.

The richest lawmaker turned out to be Chung Mong-joon (Independent). Six lawmakers (three Grand National Party, two Uri Party) are worth more than 10 billion won each.

On average, the opposition parties owned more property. The Democratic Party averaged the most with 2.5 billion won, followed by the Grand National Party’s 1.8 billion won, the People First Party’s 1.3 billion won, the Uri Party’s 1 billion won, and the Democratic Labor Party’s 290 million won.

Among Constitutional Court members, President Yun Young-chul led the total property holdings category with three billion won and in the increased wealth category with 600 million won.

Minister of Justice Chun Jung-bae reported an increase in wealth of 87.7 million won and total property of 736 million won, while Prosecutor General Choung Sang-myoung of the Public Prosecutors` Office reported a wealth increase of 70 million won and total property holdings of one billion won.

Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-bak reported a loss of 767.8 million won due to investment losses and living expenses, and total property holdings of 17.9 billion won.