Civic group to file police complaint over leak of Cha Eun Woo's tax information

A civic group has announced plans to file a police complaint against a tax official and a journalist over the alleged leak of tax information related to singer and actor Cha Eun Woo, amid controversy surrounding an additional tax assessment reportedly totaling more than 20 billion KRW (13.7 million USD).

On February 9, the Korea Taxpayers’ Federation said in a public notice that it will file a criminal complaint at 11 AM on February 10 with the National Investigation Headquarters of the National Police Agency. The complaint targets an unidentified tax official accused of leaking information related to Cha Eun Woo’s tax audit, as well as the journalist who first reported the matter. The charges include violations of the Personal Information Protection Act and disclosure of official secrets under the Criminal Act.

Cha Eun Woo reportedly underwent a high-intensity, non-routine tax audit by the Seoul Regional Tax Office’s Investigation Division 4 in July last year, after which he was notified of an additional tax assessment exceeding 20 billion KRW. The National Tax Service determined that a corporation registered under his mother’s name had been used as a conduit to distribute income without providing substantive services. Cha Eun Woo’s side has pushed back, asserting that the company is a duly registered management firm that has carried out legitimate functions and responsibilities, and that the matter remains under dispute.

The Korea Taxpayers’ Federation, a civic organization specializing in tax issues and taxpayer rights advocacy, previously released a statement on January 29 defending Cha Eun Woo. The group argued that “tax avoidance is a taxpayer’s right,” adding that “labeling someone a tax evader and subjecting them to one-sided criticism solely because additional taxes were imposed reflects a state-centric view of taxation.”

The federation also cautioned against characterizing the corporation under Cha Eun Woo’s mother’s name as a “paper company,” stating that such claims run counter to the presumption of innocence and risk prejudging the outcome of appeals or litigation, thereby infringing on taxpayer rights.

Meanwhile, Cha Eun Woo’s agency Fantagio said in a statement, “The matter currently raised is at a stage where facts are being verified in accordance with tax authorities’ procedures. Both the agency and the artist are fully cooperating with the investigation within the necessary scope.” The agency added, “Once legal and administrative judgments are clarified, we will responsibly take any required measures in line with the outcome.”