South Korea President Promises to Donate Entire Wealth to Charity

[krykrykrynunit]

"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.

South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak has promised to donate his entire salary to underprivileged people during his five-year term.


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 2002-2006.

The former construction executive was the richest candidate in last December's election with declared assets of 35.3 billion won (35.3 million usd).

Lee received about 16.5 million won (16,000 usd) in his first presidential monthly salary check on March 10 but told reporters he was unsure of the exact sum.

"I have promised to spend my salary earned as a public official on public welfare. Donating my salary as president is an extension of my promise," he said.

During his election campaign, Lee Myung-Bak promised to donate the vast bulk of his personal wealth of over 30 billion won, excluding a retirement house in Seoul, to the underprivileged.

Lee, 66, experienced severe childhood poverty and worked part-time at manual jobs to put himself through school and university.

He is known to lead a frugal lifestyle and has replaced luxury cabinet room chairs with utility furniture.

source-asianoffbeat

[DEPTHSING]

ooo...i'am touched.

also lived in poverty which i'am taught my my parents to scrimp and save, but not as worse as this president, who had to earn for his studies. Let's hope he's able to deliver through his promises and be a good president to his people during his term of presidency.

[migun87]

Unfortunately, he broke the promises after seleciton.
Most Korean asked him about Donate his Entire wealth to society as a charity,
but he sad "it was your misunderstanding, I don't have memory that I'll going to donate them"
He is most Fuxxxest man ever in Korean history.

[asay]

Lol when will people learn that public announcements of large donations to be made by actors/politicians are all for publicity purposes and not for real.

Best example would be Heather Mills who claim she will donate a large majority of her divorce settlement to charity (Adopt A Minefield Org) but failed to deliver.

Unfortunately in the real world the people who actually do what they claim are business entreprenuers otherwise known as philantropists.

[chiongster]

Well atleast bill gates live to his promise as philantropists. Those in power will make many false promises.