Justice Minister Nominee Kim Seung-won Reports 685 Million Won in Assets

Justice minister nominee Kim Seung-won reported 685.09 million won in family assets to South Korea’s National Assembly. The disclosure includes property rights held by his spouse, deposits belonging to the family’s three children and outstanding debts.

Kim reported 211.81 million won in assets, including 114.51 million won in deposits, 19.99 million won in political funds and a 2025 Carnival Hi-Limousine valued at 71.76 million won. His debts totaled 274.46 million won.

His spouse reported 515.59 million won, including a 357 million-won lease right and a 386.58 million-won apartment purchase right in Suwon, Gyeonggi province. She also listed 191.34 million won in deposits and 438.33 million won in debt. Kim’s father reported negative assets of 131.45 million won after accounting for a Suwon apartment, deposits and debt. The couple’s children reported deposits ranging from 5.77 million to 54.29 million won.

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Drunk driving is a wrongdoing that cannot be tolerated for any reason.

The family’s military records show that Kim completed service as an Army first lieutenant in 2002. His eldest son received a medical exemption. Kim was prosecuted in 2008 for violating traffic law through drunk driving and received a 700,000-won fine. He apologized, saying, “Drunk driving is a wrongdoing that cannot be tolerated for any reason,” and added that he should have acted more strictly as a lawyer.

President Lee Jae-myung said Kim had led legislation related to prosecution reform while serving as secretary of the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee. Lee credited him with a leading role in reforms centered on separating investigations from indictments.

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At the time, as a lawyer, I should have behaved even more strictly. I deeply regret it and sincerely apologize to the people.