 Chung Mong-joon, center, former chairman of the ruling Grand National Party, joins the weekly protest by Korean women who were forced to provide sexual services to Japanese soldiers during World War II in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, Tuesday. / Yonhap |
Chung Mong-joon donated his wealth to establish a charity foundation and is scheduled to hold an event to commemorate his forthcoming books in September.
At a news conference held Tuesday, the members of a preparatory committee for the creation of the Asan Foundation said the Hyundai family, including Chung, agreed to donate approximately $500 million to establish a non-profit foundation dedicated to helping children from low-income families.
The committee includes Chung Chin-hong, professor emeritus of Seoul National University. They said the charity foundation project was sought to embrace the spirit of the late founder of Hyundai Group to mark the 10th anniversary of his death.
Rep. Chung underwrote nearly $200 million for the project aimed at narrowing the income gap between the rich and the poor, they said.
The path Rep. Chung is taking a year ahead of the presidential election slated for December next year has a resemblance to what his father had done two decades ago when he ran in the presidential election.
In 1992, his father announced he would donate part of his wealth to construct affordable housing for low-income earners and help small and medium businesses.
The founder of the Hyundai Group unsuccessfully ran in the presidential election after creating his own party.
The father-son similarity in their moves before the presidential election sparked speculation that Rep. Chung is gearing up for a presidential bid.
But his aide denied this, saying the sixth-term lawmaker had planned a donation for a charity foundation 30 years ago.
The announcement comes weeks before Chung’s scheduled book launching event.
Chung’s aide said that Chung will release two books in early September.
“One is a biographic edition describing his life from childhood and his visions for the nation by going over policy areas. The other is a collection of his conversations with distinguished national and international figures,” the aide said asking for anonymity.
The figures who had discussions with Chung in the book include French journalist and columnist Guy Sorman and Harvard University Professor Michael Sandel.
They either gave their speech to or participated in seminars or forums hosted by the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, a foreign policy think tank. Chung serves as honorary chairman of the institute.
The above legislative aide said that Chung has not finished the biographic edition and therefore its chapters are subject to change.
If he declares the bid, it will be his second time to run in the presidential election, after his first unsuccessful bid 10 years ago.
Back then, the business tycoon-turned-politician enjoyed a high support rate in the beginning as Chung, as the vice president of FIFA, had wide support from soccer fans.
But his popularity was short-lived. He dropped out of the presidential election back in 2002 to support then ruling party candidate Roh Moo-hyun. The campaign partnership didn’t last long as Chung withdrew his endorsement for Roh a day before the election.
