The building that houses the security team for former President Chun Doo Hwan in Yeonhui-dong, western Seoul. [YONHAP]

The Seoul Metropolitan Government, taken over by liberal mayor Park Won-soon in October, is kicking the security team for former President Chun Doo Hwan off a piece of property it’s occupied for free for 25 years.

One of the reasons is that Chun, Korea’s last dictator, has a three-year-old unpaid tax bill, the city said.

The city government said it notified the police Monday that a two-year free lease on the plot at 95-7 Yeonhui-dong, western Seoul, expires April 30 and will not be renewed.

It advised the police to find an alternative for Chun’s security.

“We’ve decided to use the area as a cultural space, as it was intended to be used,” an official of the Seoul Metropolitan Government told the JoongAng Ilbo.

The government said the plot is in the Yeonhui Seoul Art Space, which is supposed to provide a high-quality working environment for writers and poets.

A building is occupied on the plot by the security detail.

The police aren’t happy about the situation.

“The security team has used the facility since 1987 without any problems,” a spokesman for the National Police Agency told the JoongAng Ilbo. “It’s not right to kick someone out just because he has different political tendencies from the new mayor.”

The city government also said Chun hasn’t paid more than 300 million won ($268,000) owed in taxes after he sold a house to his brother-in-law three years ago. “We’ve judged that it’s not right to offer public property for free to someone who hasn’t paid a tax for that long,” an official said

Chun ruled Korea with an iron fist from 1979 to 1988 and is best remembered for his suppression of the democracy movement and the brutal crackdown in Gwangju in 1980.

In April 1997, the Supreme Court sentenced Chun to life in prison and fined him 225 billion won for his crimes, most of which was never paid. Chun was given a special pardon by former President Kim Young-sam in December 1997.

Security for former presidents is guaranteed by the law.

“Whatever he has done in the past, the security for a former president should follow the rules and processes that are stated in the law,” Jeong Yoo-jae, a professor at the Academy of Korean Studies, told the JoongAng Ilbo. “Popularity of a specific person should not be considered in this issue.”

If the city government refuses to cooperate, the police may have to purchase an alternative site. “But if we purchase land, it will became useless when the presidential couple dies,” a spokesman of the National Police Agency said.

“The request made by Mayor Park is a tall order,” he said.



By Choi Mo-ran, Kwon Sang-soo [sakwon80@joongang.co.kr]


한글 관련 기사

서울시, 전두환 전 대통령 주시… 이유가

서울시, 전두환 前대통령 체납정보 금융권 제공

서울시가 전두환 전 대통령의 지방세 체납액을 징수하기 위해 체납정보를 금융권에 제공했다.

서울시는 전 전 대통령의 지방세 체납액 3천800여만원을 회수하기 위해 전국은행연합회에 관련 정보를 제공했다고 7일 밝혔다.

은행연합회는 이 정보를 개별 은행에 전달하고 각 은행은 이 정보를 바탕으로 금융거래 제한 여부를 개별적으로 판단한다.

신용불량 등록대상자는 지방세기본법 제66조에 의해 체납 발생일로부터 1년이 지나고 체납액이 500만원 이상인 자, 1년에 3회 이상 체납하고 체납액이 500만원 이상인 자, 결손 처분액이 500만원 이상인 체납자 등이다.

전 전 대통령은 2003년 사저 별채를 강제로 매각하는 과정에서 발생한 지방소득세 3천17만원과 미납 가산세 800여만원 등 총 3천800여만원의 지방세를 체납한 상태다.

시 관계자는 "체납세를 징수하기 위해 관례적으로 고액 체납자 등을 금융권에 통보해 왔고, 전 전 대통령도 그중에 포함된 것이다"며 "신용불량자 등록 여부는 은행이 알아서 결정할 일"이라고 설명했다.

서울시는 전 전 대통령 명의 재산에 대해서도 본격적으로 모니터링을 하기로 했다.

시 관계자는 "금융자산 등을 실시간으로 조회하며 숨긴 재산을 찾는 중"이라고 말했다.

한편 부인 이순자씨 명의로 등록된 전 전 대통령 사저는 고의적인 은닉을 위해 명의를 이전했다는 증거가 없어 압류 대상에 포함되지 않은 것으로 알려졌다 (연합뉴스)