This article was displayed on the ChosunBiz RM Report site at 10:10 a.m. on Jan. 29, 2026.
Prosecutors have reportedly decided not to indict SK Telecom over allegations that it committed tax evasion by steering fake work to an affiliate from 2013 to 2015, as of the 29th. The National Tax Service had previously investigated the case and referred it to prosecutors.
Early last year, the National Tax Service conducted an ad hoc tax audit of SK Telecom. The National Tax Service's audit concluded that from 2013 to 2015, SK Telecom funneled hundreds of billions of won worth of fake work to its information technology (IT) affiliate SK C&C (now SK AX), and that SK C&C issued false tax invoices to avoid taxes.
At the time, the National Tax Service was said to have focused on the fact that SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won was a major shareholder of SK C&C. In the past, Chairman Chey exercised control over the group's holding company SK Inc. through SK C&C. SK C&C merged with SK Inc. in 2015.
In June last year, the National Tax Service referred SK Telecom to prosecutors based on the audit findings. The case was assigned to the Tax Crime Investigation Department of the Seoul Northern District Prosecutors' Office. Late last year, prosecutors decided not to indict in the case, concluding there was insufficient evidence to prove guilt.