By Yoon Ja-young
Staff Reporter
Baek Yong-ho took office Thursday as the commissioner of the National Tax Service (NTS), which has been vacant for nearly six months. Baek stressed morality and transparency, and promised to set up a small but effective tax agency.
"A high level of morality and ethics are absolute values for the tax administration that deals with people's wealth," Baek said in an inauguration speech.
"Officials involved in irregularities will have to take responsibility, regardless of their rank," he said, adding that there will be no exception.
People have regarded the tax agency as a hotbed of corruption - since 1988, four former NTS commissioners were jailed and two had to step down for taking bribes.
Baek said the agency will seek measures to prevent tax officials from abusing their authority.
"Taxpayers' rights will be protected, and services for them will be strengthened," he said.
Baek's remarks about a small but efficient tax agency imply that there will be major overhaul at the NTS and that many high-ranking officials may have to leave.
He also said that the agency would aggressively deal with international tax evasion, which has been increasing during the past few years.
Born in Boryeong, South Chungcheong Province in 1956, Baek majored in economics at Chung-Ang University and got Ph.D. from State University of New York. Baek was a professor at Ewha Womans University and also served on a think tank for President Lee Myung-bak. He built up a good reputation and showed expertise while serving as the head of the anti-trust Fair Trade Commission.
However, Baek was attacked for alleged real estate speculation and tax evasion at his confirmation hearing.