"Not Finalized Yet"—Yoo Yeon-seok Responds to ₩7 Billion Tax Controversy

Actor Yoo Yeon-seok has been notified by the National Tax Service (NTS) of a ₩7 billion tax assessment. According to tax authorities on the 14th, the NTS recently conducted a tax audit on Yoo Yeon-seok and concluded that he owes approximately ₩7 billion, including income tax.

This amount surpasses the ₩6 billion tax bill reportedly imposed on actress Lee Ha-nee amid recent tax evasion allegations, making it the largest tax assessment imposed on a celebrity in recent history.

In response, King Kong by Starship, Yoo Yeon-seok's agency, issued an official statement, explaining that they are currently undergoing a pre-assessment review and awaiting final notification from the tax authorities.

“The matter has not been finalized or officially determined yet,” the agency stated. “There are legal interpretations and applications in question, and we plan to actively explain our position through proper procedures.” They also clarified that the issue arose because the tax authorities classified income originally reported as corporate earnings as personal income, leading to the additional tax burden.

The agency further elaborated, “This case stems from the tax authorities’ decision to classify the income generated by Yoo Yeon-seok’s corporation—established for developing and producing YouTube content, as well as engaging in related business ventures and the restaurant industry—as taxable personal income rather than corporate income over the past five years. Despite all earnings having been previously declared as corporate income by tax representatives, an additional personal income tax was imposed.”

They emphasized that Yoo Yeon-seok has always prioritized fulfilling his tax obligations diligently and will continue to comply with all relevant laws and procedures as a responsible citizen.