Ex-Constitutional Court president is top civil service pension earner

By Kim Jae-heun

A former Constitutional Court chief is the recipient of the largest amount of money from the Government Employee Pension, an opposition lawmaker said, Sunday.

According to a document released by Rep. Lee Che-ik of the main opposition Liberty Party Korea, a former president of the Constitutional Court receives a monthly pension of 7.2 million won ($6,400). However, the lawmaker did not identify the recipient.

Another Constitutional Court chief was second with a 7.16 million won pension, followed by a former Supreme Court chief justice, who receives 7.12 million won per month.

Lee added that the all three former government officials served for 39 years and one month.

The last ex-government official whose monthly pension surpassed 7 million won is a former Seoul National University president at 7.01 million won.

Another former Supreme Court chief justice was ranked fifth with 6.96 million won of monthly retirement benefits while three out of four top-paid former civil servants coming in from sixth to ninth places were ex-chief justices of the Supreme Court. The other was a former president of Constitutional Court.

A former prime minister, who receives a monthly pension of 6.59 million won, was the only non-judicial office-holder among the top 10 recipients, standing at 10th.