Prosecutors Seek Arrest Warrant for Tax Chief

The special investigation team of the Busan District Public Prosecutors’ Office, which has been investigating into National Tax Service Commissioner Jeon Gun-pyo’s alleged acceptance of bribes, requested an arrest warrant for him on Monday.

Jeon is the first incumbent tax chief to face arrest by prosecutors on allegations of irregularities since the NTS obtained independence from the Ministry of Finance in 1966.

“The prosecution filed for an arrest warrant of National Tax Service Commissioner Jeon on charges of receiving 60 million won from former Busan Regional Tax Office head Jeong Sang-gon (53, indicted and arrested) in return for favors in Jeong’s promotion,” said Jeong Dong-min, a senior prosecutor at the Busan District Public Prosecutors’ Office.

“We`ve determined to seek an arrest warrant (for Jeon) because we believe that he attempted to destroy evidence by persuading the former Busan tax official not to testify about his offering of bribes.”

The court will hold a session on Tuesday to determine whether to issue an arrest warrant for Jeon.

Meanwhile, the prosecution summoned two employees of the NTS, including Jeon’s personal assistant, for questioning on last Saturday and summoned another NTS employee on Monday.

When Jeon was asked about his future plans in front of the National Tax Service building at around 6:00 p.m. on the way home, he said, “Nothing has changed. I want to take the heavy load of the National Tax Service Commissioner title off my shoulders, but I will have to wait until the case is finished.”

Unlike earlier speculations that Jeon would resign when the prosecution files an arrest warrant, he is expected to tender his resignation as late as possible until the court decides whether to issue an arrest warrant.