Cha Eun-woo, who is accused of tax evasion allegations, was confirmed to have actually paid an amount in the 13 billion won range to the National Tax Service.
On the morning of the 9th, Cha Eun-woo's agency Fantagio said, "Part of the paid amount will be adjusted according to the National Tax Service's refund procedures, and we were informed by the accountant that the actual burden will be about 13 billion won," and issued an official statement saying, "with personal income tax fully paid, there is a procedure to receive refunds for parts of corporate tax and value-added taxes that were double-taxed that had previously been paid."
Earlier, one outlet reported that Cha Eun-woo's actual payment was about 13 billion won, not 20 billion won. Cha Eun-woo was notified last year of a tax assessment in the 20 billion won range after undergoing a high-intensity tax investigation by the Seoul Regional Tax Service in the first half of last year, but the final amount he actually had to pay was said to be slightly more than half of that.
Meanwhile, Cha Eun-woo underwent a high-intensity tax investigation by the Seoul Regional Tax Service last July before his enlistment and was notified of a supplemental tax exceeding 20 billion won. This is an unusually large amount even among tax collection cases targeting entertainers.
The National Tax Service reportedly judged that Cha Eun-woo distributed revenue through a service contract with a corporation established in his family's name, thereby applying a relatively low corporate tax rate, and determined the corporation to be a paper company with no substantive activities. Initially, the agency said the company was a formally registered firm and objected to the tax assessment, expressing a strong intention to explain, but ultimately shifted toward full payment.
On the 8th, Cha Eun-woo apologized and bowed his head directly through his personal SNS. He said, "I respect the National Tax Service's procedures and results, and to prevent further confusion I have paid all related taxes. I will sincerely carry out the remaining procedures as well."
Regarding the company in question, Cha Eun-woo said, "I established the corporation during a period when I was experiencing various changes and confusion in my activities to prepare to continue my activities more stably, but looking back now there were parts I did not sufficiently review, and I believe the responsibility lies with me, not my family or company," and "having carried out activities with the love and support of many people, I accept this matter more gravely and deeply," adding, "If there were parts I did not sufficiently review, that responsibility is entirely mine. For any reason I will not evade by saying 'I didn't know' or 'it was someone's judgment.'"
Finally, he told fans who supported him, "Through this incident I have felt strongly that I need to reflect on myself. Above all, I am most pained and sorry that I disappointed the fans who trusted me, Aroha," and "to prevent the same problem from happening again, I will inspect all of my future activities with more careful and strict standards. I will work harder and harder to be Cha Eun-woo who takes full responsibility for his choices and actions to the end."
[Photo] OSEN DB
[OSEN]