Prime Minister's Office Still Has Multiple Homeowners... Jeong Sye-gyun's 'Strong Recommendation' Also Ineffective [Public Officials' Asset Disclosure]

2021 Regular Asset Disclosure of Senior Public Officials

Prime Minister Jeong Sye-gyun [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Son Seonhee] It has been revealed that some high-ranking officials under the Office for Government Policy Coordination still own multiple houses. Despite Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun's strong recommendation last July to "sell them as soon as possible," they have not sold their properties for over half a year.

◆ Four multi-homeowners in the Prime Minister's Office... One recently completed sale = According to the 2021 regular asset disclosure report published by the Government Ethics Committee on the 25th, among the 15 asset-disclosing officials under the Office for Government Policy Coordination, four were identified as multi-homeowners. However, one of them recently completed the sale process and is now a single-homeowner. This regular asset report is based on data as of the end of December last year.

Jang Sang-yoon, Director of the Social Coordination Office (Grade 1), owns three apartments in total in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, and Paju and Ilsan in Gyeonggi Province, making him a three-homeowner. Although he submitted a statement last year pledging to dispose of at least two properties, he has not sold them. He reported the value of his apartment in Shindaebang-dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, at 425 million KRW, the apartment co-owned with his spouse in Mokdong-dong, Paju, Gyeonggi Province, at 524 million KRW, and the apartment in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province, at 203 million KRW.

The Office for Government Policy Coordination explained that Director Jang is currently pursuing the sale of the apartment in Paju where he resides and plans to sell the Ilsan apartment as well.

Baek Il-hyun, Director of the Government Performance Evaluation Office (Grade 1), and Kim Hyuk-soo, Director of the Anti-Terrorism Center (Grade 1), each own two houses. Director Baek reported an apartment co-owned with his spouse in Gaepo-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (1.047 billion KRW), and an apartment he owns in Hansol-dong, Sejong (341.66 million KRW). He stated that he is currently pursuing the sale of the Sejong apartment.

Director Kim became a two-homeowner after purchasing, jointly with his spouse, an apartment in Sujeong-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi Province (1.08 billion KRW) in May last year, in addition to an apartment owned by his spouse in Madu-dong, Ilsan (499 million KRW). He said he is pursuing the sale of the Ilsan apartment.

As of the end of last year, Koo Yoon-chul, Minister-level Director of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, was a two-homeowner on paper but sold an apartment owned by his spouse in Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi Province, in November last year, making him a single-homeowner. The ownership transfer was completed on March 8 this year, so he was recorded as a multi-homeowner at the time of the asset report. However, considering the heated controversy over multi-homeownership among high-ranking officials since the first half of last year, the timing of the sale is still viewed critically.

Director Koo reported the value of the sold apartment at 852 million KRW and also noted a contract deposit of 270 million KRW related to the sale. The final transaction price was not disclosed.

Director Koo's total assets were reported at 4.83061 billion KRW, an increase of 916.65 million KRW compared to last year. The value of the apartment owned by his spouse in Gaepo-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, rose by 540 million KRW in official land price, reaching 1.8 billion KRW. The total assets increased due to factors including the housing sale contract deposit.

◆ Prime Minister Chung reports assets of 4.4934 billion KRW... Spouse's land value drops by 590 million KRW = Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun reported assets of 4.4934 billion KRW, a decrease of 560.9 million KRW from the previous year. The decrease was due to a drop of 596.06 million KRW in the official land price of a forest land (64,790㎡) owned by his spouse in Jangseong-dong, Buk-gu, Pohang-si, Gyeongbuk Province. The land was reported at 2.6455 billion KRW, down from 3.2062 billion KRW.

The lease rights for an apartment in Sajik-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, where he lived before becoming Prime Minister (680 million KRW), and the lease rights for his Jongno district office (20 million KRW) expired. Due to the return of the lease deposits, his bank deposits increased by 633.02 million KRW to 991.69 million KRW compared to last year.

Prime Minister Chung is a single-homeowner with an apartment in Sangsu-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, under his name. The apartment was reported at 1.053 billion KRW, 60 million KRW higher than the previous value.

Choi Chang-won, First Deputy Prime Minister, reported assets of 1.85 billion KRW, an increase of 350 million KRW from the previous year, including an apartment co-owned with his spouse in Gaepo-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (1.8 billion KRW) and a lease right for an apartment in Gaepo-dong under his spouse's name (400 million KRW). The value of the Gaepo-dong apartment increased by 250 million KRW.

Moon Seung-wook, Second Deputy Prime Minister, reported total assets of 2.21 billion KRW. The apartment he owns in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province (1.16 billion KRW), increased by 180 million KRW over the year.

Kim Sung-soo, Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, reported assets totaling 310 million KRW, including an officetel in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province (370 million KRW).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.