Top 10 chaebol owners rake in hefty dividends

[THE INVESTOR] The nation’s top 10 chaebol owners raked in hefty dividends from affiliates over the past five years, Chaebul.com, a local website that tracks chaebol, revealed on June 15.

The total amounts of dividends reached almost 1.5 trillion won ($1.3 billion) between 2011 and 2015.

Chaebul.com said their actual dividends could be a lot more considering the figures are based on their listed companies only. 

#1 Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Kun-hee with 681.1 billion won in dividends

The Samsung patriarch has been hospitalized since May 2014. His only son and Samsung Electronics vice chairman Lee Jae-yong has served as de facto leader of the nation’s largest conglomerate.

#2 Hyundai Motor Group chairman Chung Mong-koo with 306.3 billion won in dividends

Chung owns stakes across affiliates, including an 11.81 percent stake in Hyundai Steel, a 6.96 percent stake in Hyundai Mobis, a 5.17 percent stake in Hyundai Motor and a 6.71 percent stake in Hyundai Glovis.

#3 SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won with 160.4 billion won in dividends

The SK chief returned to the managerial forefront last August, after two years and seven months in prison for embezzlement.

#4 LG Group chairman Koo Bon-moo with 102.2 billion won in dividends

LG Group’s 11 companies elevated dividends by 18.1 percent to a combined 1.66 trillion won. The LG chairman received the largest amount at 25.49 billion won, up 32.5 percent from last year.

#5 Lotte Group chairman Shin Dong-bin with 41.2 billion won in dividends

Dozens of Lotte’s affiliates were raided recently on allegations that the company’s founding family, including its founder Shin Kyuk-ho and his sons Shin Dong-bin and Shin Dong-ju, masterminded the creation of slush funds. The chairman’s dividends soared 60 percent over the past five years.

#6 GS Group chairman Huh Chang-soo with 37.4 billion won in dividends

#7 Hanwha Group chairman Kim Seung-youn with 39.07 billion won in dividends

#8 Hyundai Heavy Industries’ largest shareholder Chung Mong-joon with 65.6 billion won in dividends

#9 Hanjin Group chairman Cho Yang-ho with 2.85 billion won in dividends

#10 Doosan Group chairman Park Jeong-won with 24.9 billion won in dividends

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com)