Park Geun-hye Highest-Paid Politician in the World

It's been a rough year for the politician, but at least she has her millions of dollars to ease the pain. 74-year-old Park Geun-hye has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid politicians for 2026 with an estimated $82 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 01/05/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Park Geun-hye tops annual list of highest-paid politicians

In 2023 it looked like the politician’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, she was back on top. People With Money reports on Thursday (April 30) that Park is the highest-paid politician in the world, pulling in an astonishing $82 million between April 2025 and April 2026, a nearly $50 million lead over her closest competition.

People With Money’s factors

In compiling this yearly list, the magazine considers factors such as upfront pay, profit participation, residuals, endorsements and advertising work.

The Korean politician has an estimated net worth of $245 million. She owes her fortune to smart stock investments, substantial property holdings, lucrative endorsement deals with CoverGirl cosmetics. She also owns several restaurants (the “Fat Park Burger” chain) in Seoul, a Football Team (the “Daegu Angels”), has launched her own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderpark - South Korea), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Geun-hye) and a fashion line called “Park Geun-hye Seduction”.

The ranking is significant for many Geun-hye fans, who have been waiting for her triumphant return to the glory days for what seems like a lifetime.

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