The Chun family is forced to pay penalty taxes

It has been exactly 50 years on Thursday since prosecutors’ raid of 17 places including former President Chun Doo-hwan’s residence and offices to collect his penalty taxes. The Chun family seems to be throwing in the towel. It is doubtful what made them resist paying taxes for the past 16 years. This shows how powerless the rule of law has been.

Chun and his family changed their attitude when his son was about to be arrested. Prosecutors investigated Chun Jae-yong, the former president’s son, for 18 hours. His wife, mother-in-law, sister-in-law is suspected of purchasing real estate worth millions of dollars in other people’s name. They had conflicts with merchants when they tried to redevelop old buildings in Seosomun-dong in Seoul. They created a Chun Doo-hwan town with dirty money from their father. The former president’s brother-in-law was arrested and his eldest son, Jae-kook, is about to be subpoenaed. As the members of the Chun family get arrested one after another, the family reluctantly said that it would pay the penalty taxes.

Channel A reported that Chun’s children apparently discussed how much money each member would pay. Reportedly, Jae-kook will pay 70 billion won (63.7 million U.S. dollars), Jae-yong 50 billion won (45.5 million dollars), Jae-man 20 billion won (18.2 million dollars), and Hyo-seon about 4 billion won (3.64 million dollars). Lee Hui-sang, DongA One chairman and Chun’s daughter-in-law’s father, will pay around 10 billion won (9.1 million dollars). Some say that Chun will pay back his main residence in Yeonhui-dong in Seoul, which is in the name of Lee Soon-ja, Chun’s wife, and his another residence in Yeonhui-dong owned by his third daughter-in-law to the state.

If all are added up, the amount is close to the penalty taxes of 167.2 billion won (152.2 million dollars). The problem is that a significant part of his assets are real estate and he has to pay a large transfer income tax. In addition, it is doubtful whether they can be even sold or auctioned off. Prosecutors, however, cannot stop investigation simply trusting Chun’s promise that he would pay them back. They cannot let go of Chun’s charges such as tax evasion or hiding his assets to other countries, even if Chun pays all the penalty taxes.

The Chun family had many opportunities to atone for their wrong to the people. While they went luxury golfing in groups, they feigned that they have only “290,000 won (263 dollars) in hands.” Chun should pay all of his penalty taxes, albeit belatedly, and make a sincere apology to the people. Then, his descendants can save their face and live in this country.

Recently, former President Roh Tae-woo’s brother and former daughter-in-law’s father paid penalty taxes of 23 billion won (20.94 million dollars) in full. Roh probably had less remaining taxes than Chun. Both former president should not think that they have done everything by paying all penalty taxes. The public will keep an eye on them to see if they sincerely atone for their wrongdoings.