So Ji-sub applauded for charity, tax report

So Ji-sub, left, and Son Ye-jin in “Be With You.” / Korea Times file

By Ko Dong-hwan

The South Korean tax authority recognized actor So Ji-sub Thursday for faithfully paying his taxes and for his charity work.

The National Tax Service awarded So, among 24 winners, for their philanthropic deeds. While the winners are from diverse industries like manufacturing, wholesale and retail sales, welfare works and services, the actor is the only celebrity.

The authority praised So for using his money from fan meetings to support girls from low-income single-parent families, and children who need psychological treatment because of abuse.

In June 2017, So donated 100 million won ($94,000) to South Korea's non-governmental charity group Good Neighbors. The money was part of the profits from his Asia fan meeting tour that celebrated 20th years since his debut. The donated money was used to provide sanitary items and mentoring sessions for teenage girls.

So did not attend the award event at the National Tax Service Seoul Regional Office in Jongno-gu. His agency, 51k, said he was in Taiwan to promote his latest romance film “Be With You.”

The agency delivered the star's comments that he “only did what every South Korean citizen is supposed to do” and that good-hearted actions would “brighten the country's future.”

Since 2011, the tax authority has held the annual event to uphold as role models people who fulfilled their tax duties and contributed to regional economies by working with charity groups.

The authority said that this year, for the first time, it paid attention to corporate social responsibility values and selected four winners from companies involved.

Benefits for the winners include a separate custom screening at airports for faster boarding, exemption from providing security for unpaid taxes and a cheaper interest rate for loans.