Actor Ji Chang-wook has addressed the recent allegations of tax evasion.
On June 2, Ji Chang-wook's agency, Spring Company, released a press statement, saying, "We deeply apologize for causing concern to many people through this matter," and clarified, "There was no intentional omission or tax evasion through fraudulent methods."
The agency explained, "During the recent tax audit, the company transparently submitted all relevant documents and faithfully cooperated with the investigation. However, we confirmed a difference in opinion with the tax authorities regarding the interpretation and application of tax laws—specifically, whether the income from the actor's entertainment activities belongs to him as an individual or to the corporation under the principle of actual taxation."
They added, "Despite this difference in opinion, we respect the National Tax Service's audit results, as we have strictly complied with relevant laws and procedures without any tax issues since his debut in 2008, prioritizing the faithful fulfillment of tax duties. We plan to pay the additional surcharge without delay in accordance with the relevant procedures."
Previously, Field News reported that the National Tax Service recently conducted an irregular (special) tax audit on Ji Chang-wook and imposed a tax surcharge of billions of won.
The National Tax Service reportedly examined the timing of recognizing Ji Chang-wook's income from domestic and international entertainment activities, the settlement process of his appearance fees, and the details of expenses processed through his agency and related corporations. During the tax verification process, they detected circumstances where taxes were evaded or improperly handled, leading to a surcharge amounting to billions of won.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)