Political iconoclast Ahn is billionaire
수업일 : 2011-10-11

 

Political iconoclast Ahn is billionaire

 


AhnLab founder Ahn Cheol-soo
Rest of the nation’s rich list filled with familiar names

By Kim Tae-gyu

Professor Ahn Cheol-soo of Seoul National University is known for his integrity, upright personality and social entrepreneurship, which made him one of the top candidates for next year’s presidential election overnight.

As far as his wealth is concerned, the founder of Korea’s No. 1 anti-virus software firm AhnLab doesn’t lag behind anyone in the political circle, excluding a handful of businessmen-turned-politicians.

Chaebul.com, a Seoul-based consultancy

SM CEO Lee Soo-man
on domestic conglomerates, said Monday that Ahn’s wealth almost doubled to 135.4 billion won ($115.6 million) as of last month from 70.7 billion won a year before.

As a result, the 49-year-old soft-spoken professor is one of Korea’s 200 richest people at 198th, up 94 places from last year.

Among politicians, few would exceed him in terms of assets, except Reps. Chung Mong-joon and Kim Ho-youn from the governing Grand National Party.

The former is the biggest shareholder at Hyundai Heavy Industries, the world’s top shipyard and No. 7 on the rich list with 2.36 trillion won while Kim’s wealth is known to be around 200 billion won.

Ahn, the largest shareholder of AhnLab with a 37.1 percent stake, has benefited greatly from the appreciation of the Seoul-based company when he was picked as a hopeful too be the next Seoul mayor this summer.

In August, when the benchmark KOSPI plunged due to the lingering woes on global financial unrest, AhnLab shares gained by 36 percent.

As its stock price continues to show solid performances this month, Ahn’s current assets are expected to be much higher than 135.4 billion won.

Also of note is Mirae Asset Chairman Park Hyeon-joo, with self-made riches whose assests more than doubled in value from 1.18 trillion to 2.47 trillion won to place sixth in the standings. This marks the first time for Park to make the top 10.

Lee Soo-man was the richest from the entertainment sector with 186.5 billion won to place 146th, thanks to his shares in SM Entertainment.

He is the agency’s largest shareholder, responsible for popular K-pop groups like Girls Generation and Super Junior.

Samsung Group tycoon Lee Kun-hee took pole position with 8.53 trillion won, followed by Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Mong-koo with 7.2 trillion won and SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won with 3.24 trillion won.

A total of 25 businesspeople were found to be worth more than 1 trillion won according to Chaebul.com, which tracked shares of listed and unlisted firms, dividends and real estate. Financial assets such as deposits, jewelry and clothing were excluded from the research.

 







안철수·이수만, 1000억대 신흥부자 등극…이건희 1위

안철수 서울대 융합과학기술대학원 원장과 이수만 SM엔터테인먼트 회장 등이 1000억원이 넘는 개인재산을 보유한 신흥부자에 포함됐다.

10일 `재벌닷컴`이 발표한 국내 400대 부호 중에는 1조원이 넘는 거부 반열에는 오르지 못했지만 개인재산을 1000억원 넘게 가진 신흥부자에 기존의 재계 인사뿐 아니라 교수, 유명 정치인과 연예인, 스포츠 스타의 친인척 등이 포함됐다.

서울시장 출마를 놓고 최근 관심을 끌었던 안철수 원장의 재산은 안철수연구소의 지분가치 등을 합쳐 1354억원(198위)에 달했다. 안철수연구소의 주가가 최근 급등해 안 원장의 실제 재산은 이보다 훨씬 많을 것으로 추정된다.

또 아이돌그룹 동방신기, 소녀시대, 슈퍼주니어 등을 키워낸 SM엔터테인먼트 최대주주 이수만 회장은 SM 주가의 폭등 덕에 재산액이 1865억원(146위)으로 급증했다. 연예인 출신 가운데 최고 부자.

1960년대 충무로를 대표한 영화배우 출신 신영균 제주방송 명예회장은 자녀들에게 증여로 넘긴 회사 지분(한주흥산) 등을 합쳐 1166억원(228위)으로 집계됐고 축구스타 차두리(셀틱)의 장인 신철호 임피리얼팰리스 회장은 강남 임피리얼팰리스호텔과 국외 리조트 등을 포함해 1096억원(243위)이다.

한국 최고의 거부로는 이건희 삼성전자 회장이 8조 5265억원으로 첫 손에 꼽혔다. 이어 정몽구 현대자동차그룹 회장(7조 1922억원), 최태원 SK그룹 회장(3조 2445억원), 이재용 삼성전자 사장(2조 9191억원) 순이었다.
voc200@koreatimes.co.kr