Late Pres. Kim DJ Left $1.09 Mln in Net Assets

Former President Kim Dae-jung left net assets worth 1.26 billion won (1.09 million U.S. dollars) when he died Aug. 18 last year.

According to data posted on the Web site of the Kim Dae-jung Peace Center yesterday, Kim’s bereaved family filed his inheritance tax to the Mapo Tax Office in Seoul Thursday.

His estate was worth an estimated 1.36 billion won (1.18 million dollars) with 111 million won (95,656 dollars) in debts.

The 1.38 billion won was in savings, including 800 million won (690,000 dollars) of the 1.1 billion won (947,948 dollars) in prize money from his Nobel Peace Prize but excluding 300 million won (260,000 dollars) he donated to Yonsei University in Seoul.

Choi Kyung-hwan, public information chief at the Kim Dae-jung Peace Center, said, “The debts are the expenses needed for the publishing of his memoirs to be released this year borrowed from the center. His residence in Seoul’s Donggyo district is registered under his wife’s name, Lee Hee-ho.”

Lee inherited 800 million won (690,000 dollars) from her late husband, while his three sons Hong-il, Hong-up and Hong-geol collectively received 464 million won (400,000 dollars). The family paid 5.38 million won (4,600 dollars) in inheritance tax.

srkim@donga.com