Association demands apology from PPP lawmaker Choi Eun-seok

Kim Hyun-ji, chief of the First Annex Office at Cheong Wa Dae, listens to President Lee Jae Myung speak at a senior secretaries' meeting at Cheong Wa Dae on Sept. 21. [Yonhap]
Kim Hyun-ji, chief of the First Annex Office at Cheong Wa Dae, listens to President Lee Jae Myung speak at a senior secretaries' meeting at Cheong Wa Dae on Sept. 21. [Yonhap]

The Korean Tax Accountants Association on Saturday rebuffed allegations that the spouse of Kim Hyun-ji, chief of the First Annex Office at Cheong Wa Dae, had operated a personal tax accounting office under an individual registration while simultaneously serving as a director at a tax firm, calling the claims "groundless and absurd."

In a statement released that day, the association referenced media reports alleging that Kim's spouse had illegally run a "dual office" arrangement, saying it had investigated whether the member had violated the Tax Accountants Act by doing so and confirmed the allegations were not true.

The association directed its criticism at People Power Party lawmaker Choi Eun-seok, who had provided the material behind the reports to the media, saying Choi had "raised absurd allegations against a member of the association and called for punishment without verifying the objective facts." The association said Choi had "damaged the reputation of the association and its members, undermined public trust in the tax accountant system, and caused harm that is difficult to recover from."

The association also said Choi, a former certified public accountant, had engaged in legislative activities unfavorable to the association. "Since becoming a lawmaker, Choi has consistently represented the position of the Korean Institute of Certified Public Accountants, drawing criticism for legislative activities that carry a strong risk of conflicts of interest," the association said, adding that Choi had "opposed most legislation aimed at advancing the tax accountant system in order to advocate for the accountants' association."

"Since the allegations raised against the member are not true, we demand an immediate apology and corrective reporting," the association said. It added that it would "respond sternly to any act of spreading false information or distorting facts regarding members' professional duties and the tax accountant system in order to protect the honor and rights of our members and the association."

Earlier, Choi had released materials to the media alleging that Kim's spouse had maintained a personal tax accounting office registration for about 11 months — from Aug. 8, 2024, when the spouse took up a directorship at a tax firm, through July 1, 2025.


arin@heraldcorp.com