Minister, Citing Health Issues, May Leave Transportation Job

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Minister, Citing Health Issues, May Leave Transportation Job

Construction and Transportation Minister Ahn Jung-nam said Friday he wanted to resign, citing failing health.

Mr. Ahn has been suspected of accumulating illegal wealth. On Friday, it was confirmed that Mr. Ahn and his relatives own 1,070 square meters of land in Daechi-dong, an upscale neighborhood in southern Seoul.

Mr. Ahn did not clearly explain how he amassed 625 million won ($480,000) to purchase 410 square meters of that land when he appeared at the first day of parliamentary hearings on his ministry Wednesday.

Mr. Ahn purchased the land in 1989 when he was a division head at the National Tax Service. Opposition lawmakers grilled the minister, saying that as a civil service officer, he could not have accumulated that much money on his salary alone. On Thursday, it was disclosed that the piece of land next to Mr. Ahn's belonged to his younger brother, information Mr. Ahn had not revealed.

Oh Hong-keun, the Blue House spokesman, said whether Mr. Ahn resigns would depend only on his health. President Kim Dae-jung reportedly is hesitant to sack Mr. Ahn, who oversaw the controversial investigation into newspaper companies' tax records as tax commissioner until last month. But some Blue House officials said there are many important tasks ahead for the transportation ministry, such as revamping Korea's air safety system, and that a minister in less-than-robust health would not be able to carry out those duties.

If Mr. Ahn does resign, he would continue in a string of short-tenure occupants of that position. Oh Jang-seop resigned as minister in August to take responsibility for the downgrading of Korea's air safety rating by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. He was in office for just five months.

His successor, Kim Yong-chae, quit after 17 days when the governing coalition between the Millennium Democratic Party and the United Liberal Democrats broke off last month. Suggestions by Mr. Ahn that he plans to resign come just 21 days after he assumed office.

An official at the ministry said he hoped that the next minister would be politically neutral and an expert in his field.



by Kim Jin-kook

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