"Didn't Know How to Sell": Stock Value Soars Over 100-Fold… How Many Shares Are Left?

A recent online post claiming that former Minister Kim Moon-soo achieved a 100-fold return on SK Hynix stock has become a hot topic.

When Kim was a presidential candidate for the People Power Party in May last year, he reported financial assets totaling 547.59 million won. It was confirmed that Kim held 30 shares of SK Hynix, and his wife held 10 shares.

In February 2007, while serving as the Governor of Gyeonggi Province, Kim visited the Nonghyup branch at the provincial government office and purchased 30 shares of Hynix at a price in the 20,000 won range. As the stock price of Hynix exceeded 2.5 million won per share as of this afternoon, it means the value has increased nearly 100-fold if he has held onto the shares without selling them.

At the time, the Roh Moo-hyun administration denied permission for Hynix to expand its factory, citing copper emissions in wastewater. Kim purchased the Hynix stock as a way to protest the government's decision.

Kim stated at the time, "The stock price was falling and the future seemed uncertain, so this was an expression of my will to encourage and support Hynix." He also demanded, "The amount of copper emitted annually by Hynix is equivalent to the amount of copper excreted by 190 pigs per year. I will reduce the number of pigs raised, so allow the factory expansion."

There is a specific reason why speculation that Kim still holds the shares is gaining traction.

Kim Jae-won, a Supreme Council member of the People Power Party and a close aide to the former minister, appeared on a YouTube channel last year and said, "He still has about 10 shares, and he doesn't even know how much they are worth," adding, "I think he hasn't sold them because he doesn't know how to."

SK Hynix, which recorded a decline of over 12% yesterday, saw a slight rebound today.

Reported by Kim Jiuk | Video by Lee Ui-seon | Graphics by Lee Soo-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.