South Korea’s National Tax Service (NTS) has identified 710 individuals for alleged habitual and large-scale tax evasion, with total unpaid taxes surpassing $730 million. The agency revealed that some individuals owe as much as $36.5 million in back taxes, underscoring the severity of the issue.
Investigators uncovered a range of sophisticated evasion tactics. Among the cases, 224 individuals employed complex schemes to avoid compulsory tax collection, while 124 hid assets using straw-man bank accounts, nominee-owned properties, or bank safe deposit boxes. Additionally, 362 individuals were found living extravagant lifestyles despite owing substantial tax debts, raising questions about their willingness to pay.
One particularly egregious case involved a man in his 60s, referred to as Mr. A, who deliberately underreported the purchase price of an apartment to evade capital gains taxes amounting to between $73,000 and $365,000. Shortly after receiving a tax notice, he filed for a consensual divorce and transferred ownership of another property to his spouse, claiming it was part of their separation agreement. However, authorities later discovered the couple continued living together and sharing finances, leading them to conclude the divorce was a sham to shield assets from seizure.
Other evaders attempted to conceal wealth by donating assets to affiliated religious organizations or transferring shares to family members. In a corporate case, a real estate-focused special purpose vehicle, identified as Company B, avoided paying $22 million to $29 million in corporate taxes after an audit. The company allegedly underreported its tax liability, inflated shareholder dividends, and quickly liquidated remaining assets to evade payment.
To combat these tactics, the NTS announced plans to file civil lawsuits to reverse fraudulent asset transfers and pursue criminal charges against both evaders and accomplices who obstructed collection efforts.
Investigators found that many of these individuals had the means to pay their taxes but chose instead to hide assets. Some relied on nominee ownership structures, while others funneled income into straw-man accounts or stashed cash, high-value checks, and gold bars in VIP bank vaults. One 70-year-old was found to have concealed $5.8 million to $6.6 million using such methods.
Despite their debts, many continued indulging in luxury lifestyles. Evidence revealed frequent gambling at domestic and international casinos, lavish purchases, and falsified residency records to mask their occupancy of high-end properties. In one raid, authorities recovered $220,000 in gold and cash hidden inside a hiking backpack. Another search uncovered $880,000 worth of cash, checks, and gold bars stashed throughout a luxury home.
In an especially audacious case, one evader wrapped bundles of high-denomination checks in newspaper to disguise them as trash. Some suspects even attempted to disrupt investigations by shouting threats at tax officials.
The NTS reported that its 2024 enforcement efforts included 2,064 field investigations, 1,084 civil lawsuits, and 423 criminal actions against tax evaders and their enablers. These measures have so far recovered or secured $2.04 billion in unpaid taxes.
Ahn Deok-soo, Director of Collection and Legal Affairs at the NTS, emphasized the agency’s commitment to strengthening enforcement. “We will expand specialized investigation teams, enhance AI and big data analytics, and improve international cooperation in tax collection,” he said. “A new reward system will also incentivize proactive efforts by tax officials.”
Moving forward, the NTS plans to gather updated income and asset data, monitor emerging investment vehicles and concealment tactics, and deploy big data tools to automatically flag high-risk evaders for targeted audits. The crackdown reflects South Korea’s broader push to curb tax evasion and ensure compliance among high-wealth individuals and corporations.
