NTS, “Reduce the Number of Province-City Liquor Wholesale Business Associations from 15 to 6“

The National Tax Service (NTS) decided to reduce the number of province-city liquor wholesale business associations under the National Liquor Wholesale Business Central Association (hereafter Central Association) from 15 to 6. The Central Association created a stir when it exposed that the NTS `involved in the presidential election of the Central Association`.

The liquor wholesale businesses are opposing to the NTS decision arguing that the NTS decision was made as `retaliation` for the province-city liquor wholesale associations` exposure of the NTS` involvement in the presidential election of the Central Association as well as the lawsuit against the Central Association`s president, who was a former NTS employee.

According to the liquor wholesale business circle yesterday, the NTS sent out an official note on 7th to the executive office of the Central Association. The official note states, "The NTS plans to amend the business regulation on liquor tax, which has allowed one liquor wholesale association in each city-province, to establish 6 associations following the 6 local NTS offices." The NTS requested to reduce the province-city wholesale business associations under the Central Association from the current 15 to 6.

The liquor wholesale business officials said, "The NTS` official note expresses an idea that the NTS will completely control the liquor wholesale business through the local NTS."

In response to this, an NTS official said, "The NTS has been planning to reduce the number of the liquor associations for the administrative convenience for long time. The plan has nothing to do with the incident (involvement in the presidential election of the Central Association)."

Prior to this, the president of the Central Association, who was the former employee of the NTS, resigned from his post on 4th right after Dong-a Ilbo reported the `suspicion over the NTS involvement in the election`. Presidents of the province-city associations, who resigned along with the president of the Central Association, are undergoing a process of re-appointment.

Shin Chi-Young higgledy@donga.com