Ministers, vice ministers own assets 8 times greater than national average: civic group

SEOUL, Oct. 6 (Yonhap) -- The average assets owned by ministers and vice ministers serving in the Yoon Suk-yeol government amount to 3.26 billion won (US$2.3 million), eight times greater than the national average, a civic group said Thursday.

The Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice disclosed the findings involving 16 sitting ministers and 25 vice ministers. Education and health ministers were excluded from the tally as the seats remained vacant at the time of the compilation.

The average figure for the top-level government officials is nearly eight times greater than the country's average assets per household that currently stand at 410 million won, the civic group said.

Science and ICT Minister Lee Jong-ho has the highest personal assets of 16.04 billion won, followed by Vice Justice Minister Lee Noh-kong who has 6.42 billion won, Second Vice Foreign Minister Lee Do-hoon at 5.98 billion won and Vice Gender Minister Lee Ki-soon at 5.6 billion won.

In terms of real estate, the vice justice minister had the most property assets of 6.31 billion won, followed by Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon with 5.31 billion won and Deputy Finance Minister Bang Ki-seon with 4.62 billion won.

The civic group alleged that 16 ministers and vice ministers were holding two or more homes or other leasable real estate assets possibly in violation of the public officials act that prohibits civil servants from profit-seeking businesses.

pbr@yna.co.kr
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