Singer and actor Cha Eun-woo, who is serving in the military, issued a direct statement about recently raised allegations of tax evasion worth hundreds of billions of won, saying "I sincerely apologize."
Cha Eun-woo on the 26th posted a long message on his social media (SNS), saying, "I bow my head and apologize for causing concern and disappointment to many people over a matter related to me," and "As a citizen of the Republic of Korea, I am reflecting deeply on whether my attitude toward fulfilling my duty to pay taxes has been sufficiently strict."
Cha said, "I believed it was only right for me to speak to you directly and apologize regarding this matter," and added, "I will faithfully comply with the tax-related procedures that follow." He continued, "I will humbly accept the results according to the final decision by the relevant authorities and take full responsibility accordingly."
He also mentioned his current military service. Cha Eun-woo said, "I am writing this after finishing my duties in the unit," stressing, "Enlisting in the military was not a choice to avoid this controversy." He said, "Last year, I reached a point where I could no longer delay enlistment and entered the military without being able to complete the tax audit procedures," adding, "The misunderstanding that arose from this also stems from my shortcomings."
Cha Eun-woo also said, "Thanks to the love and support you have given me over the past 11 years, I have been able to stand in a position greater than I deserve," and repeatedly apologized, saying, "More than anything, I am sorry for deeply hurting and exhausting those who have trusted and supported me."
Earlier, Cha Eun-woo became embroiled in allegations of tax evasion after being notified by the National Tax Service of an additional income tax assessment exceeding 20 billion won. His agency Fantagio previously said, "This matter has not been finalized or officially notified, and whether it is actually subject to taxation is the key issue."
The apology post received 1.72 million "likes" within a day of being published.