Four Koreans on Forbes Billionaire List 2009

by josephpatrol Thu Jul 16, 2009 8:10 am

Four Koreans on Forbes Billionaire List 2009Bill Gates, former CEO of Microsoft, regained his title as the world�s richest man. According to the Forbes Billionaire 2009 list released Wednesday, Gates topped the list this year with his fortune of US$40 billion, followed by Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, with $37 billion. American news network CNN reported that Gates, who lost his 13-year title as the world's richest man to Buffet last year, regained the top spot this year as the legendary stock investor saw his fortune decline by $25 billion. Gates lost $18 billion.

Mexican telecoms titan Carlos Slim Helu owns $35 billion, down $25 billion from last year, but was placed 3rd, followed by Lawrence Elison ($22.5 billion), CEO of Oracle, and Ingvar Kamprad & family ($22 billion), founder of furniture retailer IKEA. The global downturn decreased the number of billionaires this year by 30 percent to 793, down from 1,125 last year. It is the first time since 2003 that the billionaires list has been reduced. Their individual fortunes averaged $3 billion, down 23 percent from a year ago. Some 45 percent of the billionaires were American and 28 Chinese people were on the list, positioning China top in Asia.

Four Koreans also made it on the list, and they are former Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee ($3 billion, 205th), Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group chairman Chung Mong-koo ($1.5 billion, 468th), Grand National Party lawmaker Chung Mong-joon ($1.3 billion, 559th), and Shinsegae Group chairwoman Lee Myung-hee ($1 billion, 701st).