[Exclusive] NTS investigates CJ

[Anchor]

The National Tax Service, which is conducting a special tax investigation into CJ Group, has also detected allegations of tax evasion against Chairman Lee Jae-hyun and is currently investigating.

It has been confirmed that they are examining a Swiss account that appears to be jointly held by Chairman Lee.

First, reporter Song Soo-jin has the exclusive report.

[Report]

The special tax investigation into CJ Group began in November last year.

Dubbed the 'grim reaper of the business world', the Investigation Division 4 of the Seoul Regional Tax Office is in charge.

They are conducting a high-intensity investigation into several affiliates, including the group's main subsidiary, CJ CheilJedang, and KBS has uncovered that allegations of tax evasion also include Chairman Lee Jae-hyun.

The National Tax Service is focusing on three accounts opened at UBS Bank in Switzerland.

All three accounts have been confirmed to be jointly held by Chairman Lee and his late mother, Son Bok-nam.

The accounts were opened before 2013 and closed at the end of 2016.

There were multiple deposits and withdrawals over the course of more than three years, with the balance reportedly reaching as high as 26 billion won at times, according to the National Tax Service.

At that time, any overseas account with a balance exceeding 1 billion won was required to be reported to the National Tax Service.

However, there is no record of these accounts being reported.

[Ahn Soo-nam/Tax Accountant: "To prevent offshore tax evasion and ensure transparency in tax sources, measures are being strengthened to prevent illegal transactions. Fines can be imposed up to 20%, and criminal penalties can also be applied under the dual punishment provision."]

Failure to report overseas accounts constitutes 'fraud or other improper means', which is a requirement for the crime of tax evasion.

The National Tax Service believes that it is highly unlikely to be a simple mistake or oversight.

When Chairman Lee was caught holding numerous paper companies in the tax haven of the Virgin Islands, he reported the overseas assets that were discovered to the National Tax Service starting in 2013.

The fines imposed alone amounted to over 10 billion won.

CJ Group stated, "The Swiss accounts reported by KBS are not recognized at the company level," and "Since the CJ slush fund incident in 2013, the company has not managed any unreported overseas accounts."

This is KBS News, Song Soo-jin.