JCS chief-nominee under fire for undue apartment deal
By Lee Tae-hoon
Army Gen. Jung Seung-jo, nominee for chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has come under fire for ethical lapses over his wealth accumulation.
Rep. Shin Hak-yong of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) said Tuesday that the 56-year-old deputy commander of the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command, made a suspicious deal in purchasing an apartment in central Seoul in 2002.
The two-term lawmaker claimed that the general had a backhand contract and falsely reported to the government that he purchased it at 125 million won ($109,300) to evade taxes. He estimated that the house was worth more than 350 million won at that time.
Shin alleged that Jung purchased the house being aware that the area would be redeveloped and become one of the most expensive.
Currently, construction of the country’s tallest skyscraper, No. 2 Lotte World, is underway near his house despite the previous government’s opposition to the 123-story-building being built there. The Roh Moo-hyun administration opposed the plan as it would pose a safety threat to aircraft flying in and out of Seoul Airport in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province.
“How could a top military official under the Lee Myung-bak administration could have dared to raise concerns over the construction of No. 2 Lotte World when he had an apartment in the area, whose price would soar because of it,” said Shin.
The lawmaker also claimed that he violated the law by raising the rent on his apartment by 20 percent from 200 million won to 240 million won.
Under the housing law, landlords are prohibited from raising the lease money, or “jeonse” more than 5 percent at a time.
The Ministry of National Defense denied the suspicions of land speculation, but admitted that Jung actually purchased the house at 318 million won and the tenant agreed the 20 percent raise of the jeonse because there was no increase over the past four years.
National Assembly endorsement is a precondition for Jung to be appointed to his new position.