City’s decision comes as former president has yet to pay provincial taxes

Seoul City has notified the police that it will stop lending the land used for the staff guarding the Seoul home of former President Chun Doo-hwan, citing reasons including his unpaid provincial taxes.

Since the notification to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on Monday, criticism has surfaced over his failure to pay taxes and the amount of state money spent on protecting his residence.

The police security staff for Chun, who ruled the country from 1980-1988, opposed the city’s decision, calling it inappropriate and “politically motivated.”

In 2003, Chun was forced to auction off the deed of a separate building in his residence in central Seoul. His brother-in-law bought it for 1.64 billion won ($1.47 million), which the state seized as he has yet to pay massive fines for past wrongdoings.

After selling the building, Chun was due to pay provincial income taxes amounting to 38 million won. But Chun has yet to pay the taxes, claiming that he has no assets.

In 1997, the Supreme Court sentenced Chun to life imprisonment and ordered a forfeiture of 220.5 billion won for masterminding a military rebellion and amassing illicit slush funds while in office. He was pardoned in December 1997.

Of the 220.5 billion won in forfeiture, he paid back only 53.2 billion won.

Chun has used the plot of land in question for nearly two decades, since several months before his retirement in 1988.

It was initially owned by the state. But its ownership was transferred to the municipality in the 1990s. Seoul City has since lent it for free to the police staff under a contract. The contract, which has been repeatedly extended, is due to expire in April.

Ever since liberal Mayor Park Won-soon took office last October, he focused on securing the municipality’s financial sources to realize his welfare initiatives, including halving the tuition at the city-run University of Seoul.

“The decision to stop lending the plot was made after Mayor Park sought to secure the city’s financial resources. After his inauguration, the mayor directed his staff to review whether to lend the land free of charge,” a city official said on condition of anonymity.

The police expressed their objection to the plan.

“We have used the plot of land without any problems for more than 20 years. It is not right to say that we should vacate it because the new mayor has a politically different orientation,” a police official told media, declining to be named.

Should the security staff for Chun vacate the plot, the city plans to use it as part of the cultural facilities it established in the neighborhood in 2009.

While the controversy over the land rages on, critics argue that too much state money is spent protecting Chun and former President Roh Tae-woo.

Nearly 100 security officials are dispatched to their residences. The state has reportedly spent 1.5 billion won on ensuring their safety.

In 1997, Roh was also convicted of bribery and other charges. He was given a 15-year jail term and a forfeiture of 262.8 billion won. In the same year, he was given a special pardon.

By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)