By Park Si-soo
CJ Group's chief strategist for its food business, Noh Hee-young, resigned after being indicted on tax evasion charges, the company said Tuesday. The latest scandal is another blow to the country's biggest food company, which was already in trouble with its ailing chairman behind bars.
"Noh offered to resign for health reasons on Monday, and her resignation was accepted immediately," a CJ executive said.
On the same day, the Seoul Western Prosecutors' Office indicted the 51-year-old vice president of CJ Cheiljedang without detention on charges of evading 500 million won in income taxes over the past three years. Prosecutors said Noh had committed the crime using bogus tax invoices issued by a business consulting firm she had run independently.
They said neither CJ nor its leaders, including Vice Chairwoman Lee Mi-kyung, had been involved in the case. Noh is a close aide to Lee.
Having joined CJ in 2010, Noh played an important role in managing the country's 14th biggest conglomerate.
Her performance was especially outstanding at the conglomerate's food and restaurant businesses, and she was credited with essential contributions to the companies' expansion overseas. The group aims to earn 15 trillion won ($14.3 billion) in sales from its food business unit by 2020, with half of the projected sum expected to be generated from overseas markets.
The investigation started in June based on information that the National Tax Service secured while auditing CJ and its affiliates.
Looking into cash flows between the group and Noh's company, tax auditors reportedly found evidence that Noh had inflated fees to overstate her firm's spending.
Born in 1963, Noh earned a bachelor's degree from Parsons The New School for Design in New York City. She earned fame by successfully launching several franchise restaurants, including Gung and Market O.
Noh joined confectionary maker Orion in 2007 and moved to CJ in 2010. She has since served as chief adviser for CJ's food and restaurant businesses.
Meanwhile, CJ Group Chairman Lee Jay-hyun ㅡ who is being indicted with physical detention for embezzlement and tax evasion ㅡ received a three-year jail term from an appellate court early this month. The company has decided to appeal the verdict.
The chairman has suffered from severe immune rejection responses since he received a kidney transplant in August last year.
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| Noh Hee-young |
"Noh offered to resign for health reasons on Monday, and her resignation was accepted immediately," a CJ executive said.
On the same day, the Seoul Western Prosecutors' Office indicted the 51-year-old vice president of CJ Cheiljedang without detention on charges of evading 500 million won in income taxes over the past three years. Prosecutors said Noh had committed the crime using bogus tax invoices issued by a business consulting firm she had run independently.
They said neither CJ nor its leaders, including Vice Chairwoman Lee Mi-kyung, had been involved in the case. Noh is a close aide to Lee.
Having joined CJ in 2010, Noh played an important role in managing the country's 14th biggest conglomerate.
Her performance was especially outstanding at the conglomerate's food and restaurant businesses, and she was credited with essential contributions to the companies' expansion overseas. The group aims to earn 15 trillion won ($14.3 billion) in sales from its food business unit by 2020, with half of the projected sum expected to be generated from overseas markets.
The investigation started in June based on information that the National Tax Service secured while auditing CJ and its affiliates.
Looking into cash flows between the group and Noh's company, tax auditors reportedly found evidence that Noh had inflated fees to overstate her firm's spending.
Born in 1963, Noh earned a bachelor's degree from Parsons The New School for Design in New York City. She earned fame by successfully launching several franchise restaurants, including Gung and Market O.
Noh joined confectionary maker Orion in 2007 and moved to CJ in 2010. She has since served as chief adviser for CJ's food and restaurant businesses.
Meanwhile, CJ Group Chairman Lee Jay-hyun ㅡ who is being indicted with physical detention for embezzlement and tax evasion ㅡ received a three-year jail term from an appellate court early this month. The company has decided to appeal the verdict.
The chairman has suffered from severe immune rejection responses since he received a kidney transplant in August last year.
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