Remaining Local Tax of 1 Million Won After Recent Partial Repayment
Registered as High-Value Delinquent Taxpayer for Unpaid National Tax of 385 Million Won
Myeong Taekyun, a key figure suspected of interfering in the nomination process involving First Lady Kim Keon-hee, wife of President Yoon Suk-yeol, was recently revealed to have been listed as a high-amount tax delinquent for failing to pay local income tax following his national tax arrears.
On the 25th, Yonhap News reported that through the high-amount delinquent list published on the 'We-Tax' website operated by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, it was confirmed that Myeong had four cases of local income tax arrears. According to the report, the list shows that Myeong, who operated 'Korea 114 Telephone Directory' (closed in June 2010) in Changwon City, Gyeongnam Province, had a total of 1 million KRW in unpaid local income taxes for four cases due by June 2016. As of the 18th, Myeong was publicly listed as owing 25 million KRW in local income taxes for six cases, but it appears he has recently repaid part of the arrears.
Myeong Taekyun, considered a key figure in the suspicion of Kim Geonhee's involvement in candidate nomination [Image source=Photo by Myeong Taekyun]
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety publicly discloses on its website and We-Tax the list of high-amount and habitual delinquents who have failed to pay local taxes or local administrative penalties and charges exceeding 10 million KRW for more than one year. A ministry official told Yonhap News, "Currently, (Myeong’s) arrears fall below the disclosure threshold of 10 million KRW, so he will soon be removed from the high-amount delinquent list," adding, "It seems that Gyeongnam Province, the jurisdictional area, is in the process of adjusting the changed arrears amount."
Earlier, at the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee’s audit held on the 10th, it was revealed that Myeong had also defaulted on a large amount of national taxes. At the session, Lee Sang-sik, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, pointed out, "Myeong is listed on the National Tax Service’s high-amount delinquent list for owing 385 million KRW in taxes," and criticized him as "someone who has not fulfilled their tax obligations."
In response, Myeong told Yonhap News in a phone interview, "I will repay the (delinquent local taxes) one by one," adding, "I am behind on gas bills for nine months and maintenance fees for six to seven months." He further questioned, "Given this situation, how could I have committed state power manipulation?" and claimed, "The allegation that I bought land in the national industrial complex is false, and I have neither exchanged Telegram messages with Mrs. Kim nor know the contents."
Meanwhile, Myeong was summoned as a witness to the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee’s comprehensive audit but submitted a letter of absence citing knee joint disease. The Democratic Party of Korea called both former lawmaker Kim and Myeong as witnesses on the 10th to question the suspicion of First Lady Kim Keon-hee’s interference in the People Power Party’s general election nominations. However, neither appeared, and no summons was delivered as they were not at home that day. Shin Jeong-hoon, chair of the Public Administration and Security Committee, criticized, "Despite being a key witness to uncover the presidential office’s alleged interference in the general election, they did not attend," adding, "While they can refuse to swear and testify citing ongoing investigations, they cannot refuse to appear altogether."
Under current law, witnesses summoned to a national audit who fail to appear without justifiable reasons may face imprisonment of up to three years or a fine of up to 10 million KRW. Those who refuse to comply with a summons or deliberately evade receipt of the summons may be punished with imprisonment of up to five years.
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