[Asia Economy Reporter Son Sun-hee] Former Director of the Prosecutor's Office at the Ministry of Justice, Ahn Tae-geun (currently a research fellow at the Ministry of Justice Legal Research Institute), who was dismissed over the 'money envelope dinner' incident and reinstated after a lawsuit, reported assets worth 5.178 billion KRW.
According to the status of the May occasional asset disclosures released by the Government Official Ethics Committee on the 29th, former Director Ahn reported assets of this amount, making him the wealthiest among current officials appointed in February. The current occasional asset disclosure covers 62 high-ranking officials who were appointed or retired in February.
Former Director Ahn reported real estate assets totaling 5.776 billion KRW, including the Hyundai Apartment in Apgujeong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (3 billion KRW), jointly owned with his spouse, and a building in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, jointly owned about half by his spouse, eldest son, and eldest daughter, valued at 2.776 billion KRW. The debts held by him and his spouse amount to 1.022 billion KRW.
Former Director Ahn was dismissed due to the so-called 'money envelope dinner' incident but filed a lawsuit against the dismissal, resulting in a six-month salary reduction disciplinary action and reinstatement. Subsequently, on February 17, he was assigned a research position at the Legal Research Institute, but he voluntarily submitted his resignation three days later on the 20th. However, the Ministry of Justice referred the matter back to the disciplinary committee, and the resignation has not yet been accepted.
The assets reported at the time of his dismissal in September 2017 were 3.21 billion KRW. This means his assets increased by 1.97 billion KRW in just three years.
Meanwhile, Kang Min-seok, spokesperson for the Blue House included in this occasional asset disclosure, reported total assets of 2.422 billion KRW. Among these, an apartment in Jamwon-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, owned by him and his spouse, valued at 1.564 billion KRW for 1.5 units. Including land owned by his spouse worth 148 million KRW, the total real estate holdings amount to 1.712 billion KRW.
Spokesperson Kang also reported deposits of 377 million KRW and overseas stocks held by his spouse worth 668 million KRW.
Among current officials subject to this occasional asset disclosure, former Director Ahn reported the highest assets at 5.178 billion KRW, followed by Hwang Seok-tae, Director of the Environmental Policy Division at the Ministry of Environment (4.426 billion KRW), and Kang Soon-hee, Chairperson of the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service at the Ministry of Employment and Labor (4.108 billion KRW).
Among retirees, Lee Gong-ju, former Science and Technology Advisor at the Presidential Secretariat, reported the highest assets at 4.288 billion KRW, followed by Lee Seok-woo, former Public Relations Director at the Prime Minister's Secretariat (3.335 billion KRW), and Nam Kwang-hee, former Director of the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute at the Ministry of Environment (2.055 billion KRW).
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