[Alpha Biz=(Chicago) Reporter Kim Jisun] The National Tax Service has begun to find out the facts over allegations of offshore tax evasion by former SM producer Lee Soo-man.
According to the tax industry on the 16th, the National Tax Service is internally checking the details and facts of the alleged offshore tax evasion raised by current SM CEO Lee Sung-soo, the nephew of former general producer Lee.
Earlier in the day, CEO Lee raised suspicions through a YouTube video that former general producer Lee committed offshore tax evasion through "CT Planning Limited" established in Hong Kong in 2019.
If the allegations turn out to be true, there is a high possibility that the National Tax Service will launch a full-fledged tax investigation into SM and former general producer Lee.
However, if there had already been action in connection with this suspicion, the National Tax Service would not conduct an additional tax investigation against SM. The National Tax Service investigated SM Entertainment and former producer Lee in 2021 through the Seoul Regional Tax Service Investigation Bureau 4, which is in charge of special tax investigations.
At that time, the National Tax Service imposed a fine of about 20.2 billion won on former general producer Lee after detecting the outflow of corporate funds during transactions between the corporation.
AlphaBIZ 김지선(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
