The National Tax Service has launched an ad hoc tax audit into Hana Bank and Hana Financial Group.
According to the financial sector on the 8th, the Investigation Bureau 4 of the Seoul Regional Tax Service sent personnel to Hana Bank's headquarters in Jung-gu, Seoul on the morning of the day to secure tax-related documents. Investigation Bureau 4 is a dedicated unit that mainly conducts special audits when specific signs such as tax evasion or wrongdoing are detected, rather than routine audits.
Commercial banks have traditionally undergone routine tax audits every four to five years. However, considering that Hana Bank and Hana Financial Group underwent routine audits in 2022, analysts say the nature of this audit is different.
The audit came after President Lee Jae-myung's rebuke of the financial sector. At a Cabinet meeting on the 6th, Lee said, "The idea that making money is what financial institutions are good at and that this is their reason for being is itself a problem."
Attention is on whether the audit will be expanded to other commercial banks.