Actor Park Hee-soon denies tax evasion allegations

By KTimes

Actor Park Hee-soon's agency has denied allegations of tax evasion, saying that the actor has consistently fulfilled his tax obligations.

In a statement released on Monday, NS ENM said, "Since his debut, Park Hee-soon has faithfully filed his taxes based on the advice of his tax adviser. The recent taxation issue arose during the tax process with authorities and is not directly related to the actor's legal obligations."

The agency also refuted reports claiming that Park had initiated a tax appeal. "The actor has only filed an objection at the preliminary review stage. It is disappointing that these reports were published before the results were finalized, causing confusion for both the actor and the agency," it said.

His agency said that Park is cooperating with tax authorities to resolve the matter, and the adjustment process is expected to conclude soon.

"Park plans to continue paying taxes diligently as a responsible citizen. He will fully cooperate with the ongoing review and ensure compliance with all legal obligations," it said.

The statement came in response to a recent report, which claimed that the National Tax Service's Seoul Regional Office launched an investigation into Park last year and imposed a tax bill of approximately 800 million won (about $600,000). The report alleged that Park was in the process of appealing the taxation decision.

Park is known for his roles in dramas such as "My Name" and "Trolley" as well as films like "Seven Days" (2007), "The Client" (2011) and "The Witch: Part 1 - The Subversion" (2018). He also appears in "Squid Game" Season 2, which was released in December.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.