Independent presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo apologized Thursday over allegations his wife evaded paying around 10 million won ($8,940) in taxes by under-reporting the price of an apartment she bought in 2001.
The apology came a day after local media reported allegations that Ahn's wife, Kim Mi-kyung, a professor at Seoul National University medical school, did not report the correct price of an apartment she bought in southeastern Seoul by at least 200 million won. Such a move effectively allowed her to pay less acquisition and registration taxes.
Soon after the reports, Ahn's election campaign team issued a press release saying the apartment's actual price was indeed different from that reported by Kim and the candidate offered an apology.
"I could give various reasons, but (what happened) was wrong, and I apologize to the people," the 50-year-old computer software mogul-turned-politician told reporters in a short comment made in Seoul. "From now on, I will live by stricter standards."
Real estate agents said the apartment Kim bought in Songpa District cost between 450 million and 480 million won at the time, not for 250 million won as Ahn's wife reported to the district administrative office.
She sold the apartment for 1.1 billion won in September of last year.
In response to the revelation, a ruling Saenuri Party official said judging by the media report, Kim's actions represent tax fraud.
"Since he said in his own book that authorities should make an example of people who defraud the government of taxes, we await what his follow up actions will be," he said.
Others such as Rep. Kim Tae-heum were more critical and said the under-reporting deal is not the first time that Ahn's actions did not coincide with what he preached in books and appearances.
The main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP), which views Ahn as a potential ally, said it was perplexed by the incident.
Rep. Jin Sung-joon, the DUP presidential hopeful's spokesman, told reporters that the party has called for a high standard of moral rectitude from people seeking public office and that standard remained in effect.
The party did not elaborate further, but said the public will make its own decision on this matter.
Meanwhile, Ahn took additional flak from a Saenuri lawmaker who, citing a passage in a book published by the presidential candidate in 1995, claimed he insulted the country's armed forces.
Rep. Shim Jae-cheol said Ahn viewed his 39 months of service as an army doctor as a "vacuum" where he could not conduct medical research or work with computers. He also said that the period was a form of "torture" even though he seems to have received weekend passes almost every week and came to Seoul on a plane.
The lawmaker said the remarks clearly are inappropriate for a person who wants to be commander-in-chief of the country's armed forces.
Meanwhile, public broadcaster KBS reported a fresh tax evasion allegation that Ahn himself was involved in an under-reporting apartment deal.
According to KBS, Ahn reported to the authorities that he sold the residence in southern Seoul for 70 million won in December, 2000, but the actual price of the apartment was between 150 million and 200 million won at that time.
Ahn bought the apartment in 1998. (Yonhap)