Newly Elected Officials from June 3 Local Elections Disclose Assets for First Time...Asset Status of Gyeonggi Province Heads and Council Members

Asset registration details for newly elected high-ranking officials of Gyeonggi Province through the June 3 local elections were disclosed on the 29th. Real estate and financial assets including deposits comprise the major assets, with variations in the reported asset sizes among public officials.

According to data released by the Government Public Officials Ethics Commission and the Gyeonggi Province Public Officials Ethics Commission, Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mee-ae reported 3.697 billion won, and Gyeonggi Province Education Superintendent Ahn Min-seok reported 1.815 billion won.

Governor Choo reported buildings worth 1.052 billion won and deposits of 2.465 billion won, among other assets. Governor Choo's assets increased by 383.15 million won compared to the reported amount of 3.314 billion won when she resigned from the National Assembly in April. Governor Choo's office explained the asset changes were due to the sale of existing residences and fluctuations in financial assets.

This disclosure covers newly elected heads of local governments, education superintendents, and provincial assembly members elected through the local elections. Public officials who maintained their existing positions and were re-elected were excluded from the new asset registration requirements.

10 Newly Elected Mayors and County Governors Average 1.358 Billion Won

Ten mayors and county governors newly registered for asset disclosure in Gyeonggi Province. Their average reported assets total 1.358 billion won.

Gunpo Mayor Han Dae-hee reported the highest amount at 3.150 billion won, while Yangju Mayor Jeong Deok-young reported the lowest at 294.49 million won. The difference between the two reports is approximately 10.8 times. This figure does not compare the assets of all 31 city and county heads in Gyeonggi Province.

Provincial Assembly Members Average 1.043 Billion Won...City and County Council Members Also in Billions

The average reported assets of 87 newly registered Gyeonggi Province provincial assembly members total 1.043 billion won. Assemblymember Lee Seong-won reported the highest amount at 6.541 billion won, followed by Assemblymember Choi Mi-geum at 5.944 billion won and Assemblymember Han Un-ok at 5.073 billion won. Assemblymember Kim Seung-gi reported negative 105.7 million won, as his liabilities exceeded his assets.

The average reported assets of 287 city and county council members total 1.059 billion won. Among them, 110 members (38.3%) reported assets of 1 billion won or more, while 116 members (40.4%) reported less than 500 million won.

This disclosure demonstrates the size and composition of newly elected officials' assets. However, it is difficult to determine the legality of asset formation or potential conflicts of interest in the performance of duties based solely on the amount of reported assets.

The Government Public Officials Ethics Commission and the Gyeonggi Province Public Officials Ethics Commission plan to conduct reviews of disclosed asset registrations within three months of disclosure. If necessary, the review period can be extended by three months. Going forward, the review will focus on omissions or errors in reported assets, the process of asset formation, and relevance to duties.