70% of Officials Grew Richer in 2000

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70% of Officials Grew Richer in 2000


The private assets of 70.4 percent of high-ranking government officials increased in value last year over 1999, while assets of 71.4 percent of all senior judges have gone up in value, the Public Official Ethics Committee reported Tuesday.

The committee disclosed the assets of 640 high-ranking officials at the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs. The Supreme Court also disclosed Tuesday the assets of its justices and senior high court judges.

The committee reported that the assets of 51 of the 640 officials have increased in value by more than 100 million won ($80,000) while those of 29 of the officials have dropped about 100 million won in value.

Including the property of his wife Lee Hee-ho, the value of President Kim Dae-jung's assets doubled last year - jumping from 1.13 billion won in 1999 to 2.3 billion won. However, Mr. Kim donated some 1 billion won to the Kim Dae-jung Peace Foundation for the Asia-Pacific Region in January.

Prime Minister Lee Han-dong's personal assets increased in value by 22 million won, to 2 billion won, last year.

Choi Sang-yong, the Korean ambassador to Japan, recorded the greatest jump in the value of his assets among officials at the government administration ministry, gaining some 385 million won.

On the other hand, the assets of Park Yong-hyun, director of Seoul National University Hospital, decreased the most, by 5.3 billion won.

Choi Jong-young, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, gained 86 million won; Park Soon-yong, the prosecutor-general, saw his assets valued at 21 million won more than 1999.



by Kang Kap-saeng

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