Bank Accounts of Top Tax Official Traced
By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
Prosecutors will comb the bank accounts of the nation's top tax official in their investigation into his alleged bribe taken from a subordinate.
If any evidence is found, he will be called for questioning.
The prosecution is determined to complete the investigation as soon as possible. The case is quite a sensitive given it comes just before the presidential election on Dec.19.
The probe started when Chung Sang-gon, former Busan Regional Tax Office chief, testified that he gave 60 million won to Jeon Goon-pyo, the commissioner of the National Tax Service in a desperate attempt to get promoted.
The money was allegedly part of the 100 million won Chung received from Busan-based constructor Kim Sang-jin in August last year in exchange for helping him win a contract for some large-scale construction projects and granting him tax reductions. Chung and Kim were arrested.
Chung said he gave around 60 million won _ 50 million won and $10,000 _ to Jeon at the latter's office between September and December last year on four to five occasions before Jeon went to Hong Kong, China and New Zealand.
Prosecutors are examining Jeon's overseas trip records to confirm the allegations. They have already looked into Chung's and Jeon's phone records.
Chung said he had given additional money to Jeon in July last year before he received the bribe from Kim.
Prosecutors do not rule out other reasons apart from promotion seeking, as tax officers have been known for corrupt practices in the past, and the money, which was given in a series of payments was relatively small. Another focus of the probe is whether the practice was an isolated case.
However speculation that Chung did given the money for promotion, seeking the position of head of the Seoul regional office at that time is high. Chung failed to be promoted but was appointed to a similar-level position at the Seoul regional office.
It is said that such practices were once rife in the tax agency's practice amid rumors of junior officials offering bribes to get themselves promoted to senior posts.
Tax officials, however, say the practice disappeared long ago, though Jeon may have considered Chung's money offering customary, according to prosecutors.
The NTS chief has denied Chung's claim, saying that he had no reason to receive money from the former Busan tax official.
Regarding the scandal, a member of a civic group Hwalbindan staged a one-man rally at the tax agency building Wednesday, calling for Jeon's resignation.
Another civic group, People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, said on its Web site, ``It is doubtful whether the government's anti-corruption system is working. We call for a full-scale inspection into the tax agency by the Board of Audit and Inspection and the Korea Independent Commission Against Corruption.''
Citizens United for Better Society also urged the prosecution to probe the case thoroughly.