National Assembly speaker to return 30% of salary in solidarity with those hit by COVID-19

National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang. / Yonhap

By Jung Min-ho

Top-ranking officials at the National Assembly, including Speaker Moon Hee-sang, will return 30 percent of their salaries to show solidarity with those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The National Assembly Secretariat said Friday that Moon will donate 30 percent of his salary for April and May ― about 9.6 million won ($7,900) excluding special activity expenses ― “to share the burden of those who are suffering from the coronavirus.”

Seven ministers and vice minister-level officials have promised to do the same for four months from April.

The secretariat said it was still deciding how to use the money.

Their decisions come a month after President Moon Jae-in and his Cabinet members decided to return 30 percent of their salaries over the next four months to help fund efforts to battle the disease.