SOURCE: "징역 5년?" 차은우, '200억 탈세 혐의' 벗어날 수 있나…"핵심 쟁점은?"[MD이슈]
As Cha Eunwoo faces allegations of tax evasion totaling up to 20 billion KRW, attention is now shifting toward the potential severity of legal punishment. While the National Tax Service views this case as using a paper company to avoid tax, Cha Eunwoo's side firmly pushes back, stating that its management was conducted through lawful procedures.
Cha Eunwoo’s suspicious income structure
Last year, Cha Eunwoo underwent a tax audit by Investigation Division of the Seoul Regional Tax Office. Recently, he was ordered to pay around 20 billion KRW in additional taxes, including income tax.
The National Tax Service is taking issue with Cha Eunwoo's income structure. The company established by his mother, Company A, entered into a service contract with his agency to distribute profits. However, the National Tax Services judged Company A is a 'paper company' with no actual business operations. The allegation is that income that should've been taxed at the individual rate of 45% was instead directed into a company to avoid higher tax bill.
Denying: "It's a legitimate management done amid an unstable environment"
Regarding this, Company A stated, "With the agency's CEO constantly changing, (Cha Eunwoo's) mother personally stepped into the management to stabilize his entertainment activities. Company A is legally registered as a pop culture and arts planning business."
Fantagio also stated, "The main issue of this investigation is whether Company A should be taxed as a real business. As this matter hasn't yet been settled, we will actively explain our position through lawful procedures regarding the interpretation and application of the law."
Possibility of heavy sentence if the Aggravated Punishment Act applies .. The key is the burden of proof
Legal experts are paying close attention to the possible application of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes because the unpaid tax amount reaches around 20 billion KRW. Under this law, if the amount of tax evaded is 1 billion KRW, the penalty can be life imprisonment or a prison sentence of 5 years or more.
In the end, the severity of punishment will depend on whether Company A truly did the work of a management company or not. If they fail to present evidence of real business activities such as contracts, work logs, payroll records, or office lease agreements, it will be difficult to shake off allegations of tax evasion.
As Cha Eunwoo has been widely loved for his 'upright and clean' image, both the entertainment and legal industry are watching closely to see how he handles and overcomes this 'tax evasion risk.'
