[September Asset Disclosure] Kim Dongjo Reports 12.4 Billion KRW... Highest Asset Among Presidential Office Aides

Most Assets in Stocks... 11.66 Billion KRW
Top Reporter in June is Park Seong-geun, Secretary to the Prime Minister, with 22.93 Billion KRW

Kim Dong-jo, Secretary for National Message Affairs

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] Among the presidential office aides in June, the aide with the highest reported assets was Kim Dong-jo, Secretary for National Policy Messaging (formerly Speech Secretary), who declared assets worth approximately 12.41 billion KRW. This amount is 350 million KRW more than Kim Tae-hyo, First Deputy Director of the National Security Office, whose asset details were disclosed last month.

On the 23rd, the Public Service Ethics Committee published the asset registration details of high-ranking public officials, including this information, in the electronic government gazette.

According to the asset registration details of high-ranking officials appointed in June, announced by the Public Service Ethics Committee on the 23rd, the asset status of 16 presidential office aides whose details were not disclosed last month was compiled.

The disclosure targets include 801 individuals whose status changed this year in June: 26 newly appointed high-ranking officials of grade 1 or higher, 43 promoted officials, and 720 retirees.

Among Secretary Kim’s assets, who previously served as CEO of the investment company Velocity Investor, approximately 11.66 billion KRW consists of listed stocks including 8,451 shares of Vieworks, unlisted stocks such as 200 shares of Kim Dong-jo Co., Ltd., 6,600 shares of Korea Steel International, 7,400 shares of Korea Steel, and 32,400 shares of Korea Holdings.

Excluding aides whose asset details were disclosed last month, the aide with the second highest assets among the presidential office personnel disclosed this time is Wang Yoon-jong, Secretary for Economic Security, who holds assets worth 7.32 billion KRW.

Secretary Wang’s assets mainly consist of deposits and real estate. He reported deposits totaling 2.671 billion KRW in KEB Hana Bank, NH Investment & Securities, Lotte Dental, Mirae Asset Securities, Samsung Life Insurance, Shinhan Bank, among others. His spouse reported deposits totaling 1.31 billion KRW in KEB Hana Bank, Samsung Life Insurance, Shinhan Bank, etc., amounting to a combined total of 3.997 billion KRW.

Regarding real estate, he owns land worth 1.768 billion KRW in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, and Cheoin-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi Province, as well as buildings worth 1.339 billion KRW including offices in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, and officetels in Seocho-gu and Gwanak-gu.

Secretary Kang In-seon, Secretary for Overseas Public Relations, was found to hold assets worth 6.814 billion KRW. Secretary Kang reported land owned by himself in Dong-gu and Seo-gu, Daejeon, and land owned by his spouse in Jongno-gu, Seoul, totaling 1.199 billion KRW.

Secretary Kang also declared assets worth 5.591 billion KRW including an apartment in Bangbae-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul; neighborhood living facilities and warehouses in Dong-gu, Daejeon; a complex building in Seo-gu, Daejeon; an apartment in Apgujeong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul owned by his spouse; and a leasehold right for an apartment in Apgujeong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul held by his child. Deposits held by Secretary Kang, his spouse, and eldest daughter combined amount to 900 million KRW.

Jang Sung-min, Policy Coordination Planning Officer (currently Future Strategy Planning Officer) of the Presidential Secretariat, was found to hold 3.95 billion KRW, Cho Sung-kyung, Secretary for Science and Technology, 3.57 billion KRW, and Kim Young-tae, Director of Public Communication, 3.29 billion KRW.

Bok Doo-gyu, Personnel Planning Officer who retired from the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office Secretariat and joined the Presidential Secretariat, re-registered assets worth 1.74 billion KRW.

The aide reporting the smallest amount was Kim Oh-jin, Administrative Secretary, who declared 1.313 billion KRW. Other officials reporting assets in the 1 billion KRW range include Kang Hoon, Secretary for National Public Relations, who declared 1.32 billion KRW, and Choi Cheol-gyu, Secretary for National Integration, who declared 1.581 billion KRW.

Meanwhile, among the June targets, the high-ranking official reporting the largest assets was Park Sung-geun, Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, who declared 22.93 billion KRW. Park’s wife, Lee Eun-hee, is an inside director of Seohee Construction and the eldest daughter of Chairman Lee Bong-gwan, the largest shareholder of Seohee Construction.

Park declared securities assets worth 10.3 billion KRW, including his 6,000 shares of Samsung Electronics and his wife’s shares in Seohee Construction (1.87 million shares) and Yuseong TNS (1.26 million shares).

Additionally, he reported buildings worth 7.07 billion KRW, including an apartment in Apgujeong-dong, Gangnam-gu, jointly owned with his wife, and an officetel in Yeouido.