“Commissioner Jeon Received At Least 30 Million Won”

On October 25, it was confirmed that the special investigation team of Busan District Public Prosecutors’ Office, which is probing the use of 100 million won of bribe by former head of Busan Regional National Tax Service Jeong Sang-gon (53, indicted and arrested), will summon the Commissioner of the National Tax Service, Jeon Gun-pyo, as early as early next week for receiving at least 30 million won as a bribe for solicitation on human resource placement from the former head officer.

If the incumbent commissioner of the National Tax Service is investigated by the prosecution on a charge of taking bribes, it will be the first case of its kind in history.

The prosecution is known to have found that the former head officer’s statement on the time and place the money changed hands matched objective circumstances concerning at least 30 million won, as a result of examining the former head officer’s words that he “gave 60 million won to the commissioner of National Tax Service, Jeon.” It is also known to have secured evidence to support this statement.

A prosecution officer hinted that the commissioner of the National Tax Service, Jeon, will soon be summonsed, saying, “The investigation (on the charge of bribe acceptance by the commissioner of the National Tax Service, Jeon) has reached its final stage.”

The prosecution disclosed that the former head officer, during the investigation, coherently stated that he gave money to commissioner Jeon at Jeon’s office in Susong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. He claimed that such payments, for solicitation on human resource placement, took place every time Jeon went on trips to other countries, including Hong Kong, from the end of last year to early this year.

It was revealed that former head officer Jeong, since his indictment on August 16, has stated that he paid commissioner Jeon a total of 60 million won in five smaller payments: 10 million won each on two separate occasions; 20 million won on one occasion; 10 million won on another occasion; and a final payment of 10,000 U.S. dollars.

In his first statement, former head officer Jeong said that he gave 10 million won out of the total sum in the form of sponsorship for the track and field day of the National Tax Service – an event that did not occur at the time. He also said that he bribed [the commissioner] before he received 100 million won in bribe money from construction enterpriser Kim Sang-jin (42, indicted and arrested), in August last year. But this was also found to not match the circumstances.

The 30 million won upon which the prosecution decided to apply the charge of bribery, is a result that excludes the vague areas in former head officer Jeong’s statement and only includes the parts supported by evidence and circumstance.

“Former head officer Jeong is experiencing personal struggles because his statements involve commissioner Jeon, who was once Jeong’s organizational leader, but the statement that he gave money is true,” said a prosecution officer.

The prosecution is also examining the circumstances concerning the remaining 30 million won, separate from 30 million won upon which the charge will be applied. Former head officer Jeong is arguing that he spent the remaining 70 million won, the sum of the aforementioned 30 million won and the remaining 40 million won, on personal expenses, but the investigation is known to be strongly questioning him on this claim as well.

Commissioner Jeon is denying that he received any bribes, but the word is spreading that he will voluntarily resign before being summonsed by the prosecution.

Meanwhile, commissioner Jeon ran into journalists when leaving his office in Susong-dong in the evening of October 25, but only said, “All I have to say is what I said yesterday.” He left the office building not answering questions regarding what he plans to do next.

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