Actor Junho has denied all allegations of unlawful tax evasion, through a statement released by his agency, JYP Entertainment.
JYP Entertainment stated on December 26 that Lee Junho was subject to a tax investigation in September 2023 by the Seoul Regional Tax Office's Investigation Division 2.
The agency stated that the investigation was not due to any unlawful activity on the actor's part, rather, was part of a regular, non-routine corporate tax audit for artists.
The agency emphasized that the investigation was not due to suspicions of tax evasion.
"Following the advice of a tax representative, Junho diligently filed his taxes and paid additional taxes due to differences in perspective between the tax authorities and the tax representative," asserted JYP.
The agency explained that this was the first time in Lee Junho's 17-year career to be subjected to such an audit and confirmed that he had adhered to all relevant laws and procedures.
"There were no intentional omissions in reporting taxes. Any discrepancies were related to differing viewpoints and have been fully addressed," JYP said.
The agency also emphasized Lee Junho's dedication to fulfilling his tax obligations over the years.
"Since his debut, Lee Junho has been diligent in fulfilling his duties as a taxpayer, and there have been no issues regarding his taxes," they said.
Previous reports claimed that the Seoul Regional Tax Office had conducted a special tax audit on Lee Junho in September 2023 and had levied a significant tax payment.
The audit took into account Junho's ownership of multiple properties.
"Hello, this is JYP Entertainment.
We would like to address the reports related to our artist Lee Junho. After confirming with him, we would like to clarify that he responded diligently to a non-routine comprehensive tax audit conducted by the Seoul Regional Tax Office's Investigation Division 2 in September 2023 as part of the corporate artist audit. This was not an investigation based on any suspicions of tax evasion.
He filed his taxes faithfully with the guidance of his tax representative and paid additional taxes due to differing perspectives between the tax authorities and the tax representative.
This is the first non-routine audit Lee Junho has undergone in 17 years of his career, and he complied with all legal procedures. Any discrepancies in the taxes were paid, and the claims of intentional tax evasion are not true.
Since his debut, Lee Junho has been diligent in fulfilling his tax obligations, and there have been no issues regarding his taxes.
Thank you."