hankyoreh

Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Kun-hee (left) and his son

According to a recent report, 23 South Koreans belong to the trillionaire club, meaning that they own more than 1 trillion won (US$860 million) in domestically listed stock. Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Kun-hee has the most stock all, and the total stock owned by all 23 figures exceeds 65 trillion won.

According to an analysis posted on Chaebul.com on June 6, there are a total of 23 South Koreans with at least 1 trillion won in domestically listed stock as of June 3, and if added together, their stock would be worth 65.42 trillion won. This was down 1.1% from the total amount calculated by the website on Jan. 4 of this year.

The stock held by Lee Kun-hee is worth 11.80 trillion won, 5.3% more than the beginning of the year. Suh Kyung-bae, chairman of Amore Pacific, ranked second with 10.26 trillion won, while Lee Jae-yong, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics and son of Lee Kun-hee, came in third with 6.26 trillion won. The value of Lee’s stock fell 17.8% since the beginning of the year, but his rank remained unchanged.

Since January, the members of the trillionaire club have remained mostly the same. Chung Mong-koo (4.51 trillion won), chairman of Hyundai Motor, rose to fourth place with little change in his total stock holdings, followed by SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won (3.64 trillion won) and Hanmi Pharmaceutical Company Chairman Lim Sung-ki (3.15 trillion won). BGF Retail Chairman Hong Seok-jo (1.85 trillion won) climbed to ninth place, with the value of his stock holdings growing by 26.1% in just half a year.

When the value of stock held by family members of Lee Kun-hee is combined, it amounts to 23 trillion won, or 35% of the total value of the trillionaire club.

Lee Kun-hee’s two daughters - Lee Boo-jin, president of the Hotel Shilla, and Lee Seo-Hyun, president of the fashion division of the Samsung C&T Corporation - are tied for 10th place, both holding 1.73 trillion won, which was down 22.3% from January. Hong Ra-hee, director of the Leeum Samsung Museum of Art and wife of Lee Kun-hee, rose to 13th place on the list, as her stock increased by 14.3% over the same period to 1.49 trillion won in value.

By Kim Sung-hwan, staff reporter

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]