`Top Tax Official Received W60 Million From Junior
By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
The nation's top tax official faces criminal investigation on suspicion of receiving 60 million won from a subordinate.
Jeon Goon-pyo, commissioner of the National Tax Service (NTS) denied the allegation but the jailed former regional branch chief testified that he gave 60 million won to his boss out of 100 million won he received from a Busan-based constructor.
A prosecutor Tuesday confirmed that the allegation was under investigation. If the allegation is confirmed, Jeon will be one of the highest-ranking officials under the Roh Moo-hyun administration to be arrested for receiving bribes.
The money was part of a bribe the regional office chief Chung Sang-gon took from a building contractor in exchange for an illegal tax reduction.
Chung was arrested in August for receiving 100 million won from the Busan-based businessman Kim Sang-jin in exchange for helping Kim win contracts for large-scale construction projects and granting him tax reductions. Kim was also arrested.
The scandal involved Jung Yoon-jae, the former Cheong Wa Dae protocol secretary. Jung was arrested last week on charges of receiving 20 million won from Kim in return for arranging a meeting between Kim and Chung where the bribery took place in August last year.
``Chung said he received 100 million won from Kim and offered 60 million won to his boss Jeon later at Jeon's office. He said Jeon took it after hesitation, and we are inspecting whether the testimony is true,'' a prosecutor was quoted as saying.
Since the investigation began, Chung admitted taking 100 million won from Kim but had not talked about how he spent it.
Prosecutors plan to question Jeon, who denied the allegation, after securing evidence.
They are investigating whether Jeon was aware of the corruptive ties _ if Jeon was aware that the money was Kim's bribe in exchange for favorable treatment, he will be charged with bribery.
The prosecution also does not rule out the possibility that Chung offered the money for his own purpose, as he was promoted last December to the Seoul office's assistant commissioner of the real estate taxation bureau.
But it is said prosecutors may have difficulty confirming the suspicion, as the kickback was allegedly offered in cash and there is no evidence but Chung's testimony.