Korean Taxpayer Alliance defends Cha Eun-woo against tax evasion claims, emphasizing the presumption of innocence and taxpayer rights.
January/29/2026 17:37Related Groups & Members
The Korean Taxpayer Alliance mentioned the tax evasion suspicion of about 20 billion won (about 2 billion yen) that arose regarding ASTRO's Cha Eun-woo. They pointed out that simply assuming he evaded taxes because he was subject to additional taxation is a perspective that only sees taxes from the viewpoint of state power, and they argued that the principle of presumption of innocence should be upheld. The alliance stated today (29th) through a press release that 'tax avoidance is a taxpayer's right' and that 'if tax avoidance is successful, it becomes 'tax saving', and if it fails, it becomes 'tax evasion'. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that 'the legal right of taxpayers to reduce or avoid taxes imposed on them within the limits permitted by law should never be viewed as problematic.' Furthermore, the alliance pointed out that labeling Cha Eun-woo's mother's corporate entity as a shell company violates the principle of presumption of innocence. They cited the past 'Nene Chicken incident' as an example, explaining that at that time, the National Tax Service judged the son's company to be a non-existent shell company and filed charges, resulting in a guilty verdict in the first instance, but the Supreme Court confirmed a not guilty verdict. Moreover, they criticized the media for definitively reporting the corporate entity as a shell company, stating that it not only violates the principle of presumption of innocence but also risks implanting bias during the appeal and litigation processes, infringing on taxpayer rights. They conveyed that the basic principle of criminal law, 'it is better to let 100 guilty persons escape than to punish one innocent person', should be upheld. Additionally, they pointed out that leaking tax information is illegal and that information regarding celebrity tax investigations is difficult to report without leaks by officials. They stated that the head of the National Tax Service's failure to investigate the existence of leaks and allowing it to go unchecked constitutes negligence in duty. The National Tax Service should identify and strictly punish public officials who leaked information through rigorous internal audits. The Taxpayer Alliance emphasized that 'the equation of being subject to additional taxation = deserving of criticism' does not hold. Rather, they argued that the National Tax Service, which creates tax laws that even experts find difficult to understand and fails to provide adequate prior guidance, should be criticized. Simply assuming someone has evaded taxes just because they were subject to additional taxation is defamatory due to ignorance. Prior to this, the National Tax Service judged Cha Eun-woo's revenue structure to be abnormal and notified him of additional taxation of about 20 billion won. The National Tax Service is focusing its investigation on the contracts and revenue distribution process between the corporation established by Cha Eun-woo's mother and his agency, Fantagio, particularly viewing the corporation as a shell company that does not engage in substantial business activities. Currently serving in the military, Cha Eun-woo revealed on the 26th, 'I will humbly accept the final judgment made by the relevant authorities and fulfill the responsibilities that come with it.' Fantagio commented on the report regarding additional taxation to the agency, stating, 'The amount is 8.2 billion won... it is true that we were notified.' There are also calls for ASTRO's Cha Eun-woo to reconsider his service in the military band, and the South Korean Ministry of Defense has begun an inspection.
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