Prosecutors Summon Tax Chief on Bribery Charges

Jeon Gun-pyo, commissioner of the National Tax Service (53), was summoned on Thursday, becoming the first incumbent tax chief ever questioned by prosecutors.

No other tax chief has been summoned by prosecutors on allegations of irregularities since the NTS obtained independence from the Ministry of Finance on March 3, 1966.

Prosecutors grilled Jeon on the allegation that he received 60 million won ($65,000) between August 2006 and January 2007 from Jeong Sang-gon, then-head of the Busan Tax Service Office, in return for tax favors based on Jeong’s testimony.

Prosecutors also questioned whether Jeon attempted to silence the former Busan tax chief by asking Lee Byeong-dae, the current head of the Busan Tax Service Office, to prevent him from testifying against him.

In a press conference on Thursday, a senior prosecutor said, “The former commissioner of the National Tax Service is sincerely answering questions.”

However, Jeon strongly denied all allegations, according to sources.

When Jeon was asked whether he admitted the allegations against him before entering the Busan District Prosecutors’ Office on Thursday morning, he replied, “Everything is not true. However, I feel sorry for the people by causing this scene. I think it’s all because of my lack of virtue.”

He added, “I hope that the truth will be revealed by the prosecutors and that (this story) will not be prematurely dealt with in the media. None of the allegations are true.”

Prosecutors sent Jeon home later in the day and will reportedly decide whether to file criminal charges against him as early as Friday morning.

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