Former UK Prime Minister Johnson Faces Controversy Over 400 Million Won Speech Fee

"No problem as it's one-time" vs "Report when giving paid speeches or writing columns"
Fact of receiving travel expenses support from media mogul Rupert Murdoch also revealed

Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Photo by AP Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who resigned in disgrace, is embroiled in controversy after it was revealed that he received a large speaking fee exceeding 400 million won and was supported with approximately 17 million won in travel expenses by media mogul Rupert Murdoch.

According to the BBC and The Guardian on the 17th (local time), Johnson gave a speech lasting about 30 minutes and engaged in a 45-minute "fireside chat" at the Insurance Agents and Brokers Association in Colorado Springs, USA, on the 14th of last month, for which he was paid ?276,130 (approximately 440 million won).

He also visited Montana in the northwestern United States from the 11th to the 12th of last month, during which Murdoch reportedly covered ?11,559 (about 17.5 million won) for domestic flights and accommodation expenses.

Murdoch is a prominent media mogul who owns American outlets such as The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) and British media including The Sun. According to UK Cabinet records, the two met several times during Johnson's tenure as Prime Minister.

Johnson's close aides claim the speech was a one-time event and not problematic. However, Angela Rayner, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, criticized, "Johnson may claim this was just a one-off, but former ministers and prime ministers are required by rules to submit prior applications when engaging in paid speeches or writing newspaper columns."

Johnson resigned in disgrace in September after three years amid the 'Partygate' scandal and issues involving close aides. He faced backlash for repeatedly giving false explanations regarding allegations that he violated health authority COVID-19 guidelines by holding drinking parties with aides at 10 Downing Street, the Prime Minister's residence. The controversy escalated when it was revealed that Johnson appointed Christopher Pincher as Deputy Chief Whip despite knowing about Pincher's history of sexual misconduct during his tenure as Foreign Office Minister, ultimately leading to Johnson's resignation announcement.

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