[Public Officials' Asset Disclosure] Senior Officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Increase Wealth Due to Real Estate Appreciation

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] The assets of key officials in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including Foreign Minister Jeong Eui-yong, have increased compared to last year due to the rise in real estate prices. Minister Jeong's assets rose by 15.4 million KRW last year, reaching 2,213,030,000 KRW.

The regular asset change reports of 1,978 individuals subject to disclosure under the jurisdiction of the Government Officials Ethics Committee were made public. The Government Officials Ethics Committee disclosed the asset changes as of December 31 of last year for political and other officials under the executive branch through the official gazette at midnight on the 31st.

Choi Jong-geon, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, reported assets totaling 968,350,000 KRW, an increase of 308,800,000 KRW compared to last year. The price of an apartment jointly owned with his spouse in Haengsin-dong, Deogyang-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, rose by 200 million KRW.

Choi Jong-moon, Second Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, reported assets of 4,242,520,000 KRW, an increase of 1,667,150,000 KRW from last year, due to the rise in the official price of a multi-family house he owns in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.