[사설] ‘황제 사택’ 이용한 편법 탈세 뿌리 뽑아야

The audit by the Korean Tax Agency focusing on high-end residential properties owned by corporations has uncovered an alarming amount of tax evasion, totaling 1.9 trillion won. The probe, initiated on the 25th, revealed that 2,639 properties owned by companies are under investigation. Of these, 1,097 properties were found to be used by the spouses or separate residences of company executives.

This accounts for 41.6% of the total properties under investigation. Some of the companies involved include those listed on the Kospi and Kosdaq stock exchanges. The most common type of property misuse was executives using their spouse's residence as their own company's residence, with 28 cases identified. In one instance, a major corporation purchased a 200 billion won property in Seoul's Hanok-dong and spent an additional 100 billion won on renovations and interior design, billing it all as corporate expenses.

Another 17 cases involved executives using vacation homes as company residences, often referred to as "Mr. Chairman's exclusive." One executive even transferred ownership of a 40 billion won apartment to their corporation just before it was slated for demolition, while continuing to live rent-free in it. Another used high real estate appreciation to their advantage by owning two apartments in Gangnam and renting them while claiming tax deductions through their corporation.

In some cases, corporations have even facilitated their executives' children in purchasing expensive homes using the company's business loans. The situation resembles a "tax evasion shopping mall," where the value of properties continues to rise, infuriating low-income residents. The Tax Agency must thoroughly investigate these "emperor's residences" and root out these illegal tax avoidance practices, while also establishing a continuous verification system for corporations' property acquisitions and cost allocation to prevent the investigation from turning into a mere event.