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SEOUL: South Korean President Lee Myung Bak has promised to donate
his entire salary to underprivileged people during his five-year
term, aides said Monday.
The offer came during Lee’s unscheduled
meeting Sunday with reporters at the pressroom of the presidential
office, aides said.
Lee had donated his salary to the children of
cleaners and firefighters for four years while serving as Seoul
mayor from 2002 to 2006.
“I have promised to spend my salary earned as
a public official on public welfare,” he said.
Lee received about 16.5 million won ($16,663) in
his first presidential monthly salary check on March 10 but told
reporters he was unsure of the exact sum.
Lee also promised to donate the vast bulk of his
personal wealth of over 30 billion won, excluding a retirement house
in Seoul, to the underprivileged.
“His pledge to donate his entire wealth has
not yet been implemented but we believe he will keep his promise,”
a presidential official told Agence France-Presse.
The former construction executive was the
richest candidate in December’s election with declared assets of
35.3 billion won ($35.6 million).
Lee, 66, experienced severe childhood poverty
and worked part-time at manual jobs to put him through school and
university. He is known to lead a frugal lifestyle.
-- AFP
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