The revelation that the eldest son of Chun Doo-hwan holds a ghost company in the British Virgin Islands could give new impetus to efforts to collect outstanding fines from the former military dictator.

On Monday, Korea Center for Investigative Journalism revealed that the former president’s eldest son Chun Jae-kook has been operating a ghost company named Blue Adonis Corp. in the West Indies’ tax haven since 2004.

The son is also the chief executive of Seoul-based publishing company Sigongsa, the address of which is the same as that given for Blue Adonis Corp.

While the authorities have yet to announce plans for a follow-up investigation, the National Tax Service plans to take a closer look into Sigongsa and other related issues.

The revelation of the possible overseas tax evasion scheme operated by Chun Jae-kook comes at a time when authorities are stepping up efforts to collect massive outstanding fines from his father.

In May, the prosecutors’ office set up a special team dedicated to collecting overdue fines from Chun.

In 1996, the court ordered Chun to pay 220.5 billion won in penalties for leading an insurrection and accepting bribes while he was in power. But he has paid only 53.3 billion won over the past 17 years, leaving 167.2 billion unpaid.

Collection of the money from Chun will expire on Oct. 11.

Chun led a junta after a bloody coup in 1979. He was elected president the following year and ruled the country until 1988.

Also in May, Rep. Choi Jae-sung of the main opposition Democratic Party proposed a revised Act on Special Cases Concerning Forfeiture for Offenses by Public Officials that will give the authorities more power in collecting fines from government officials.

Under the proposed revision, the prosecutors will be able to order a forcible collection of fines three years after the penalty is confirmed.

The measure is aimed at preventing individuals with outstanding fines from avoiding collection as the elder Chun has done in the past.

In 2010, Chun paid 3 million won towards his outstanding fine inciting criticism that he paid a comparatively small amount to prevent the authorities from taking his assets.

Along with the developments surrounding the Chuns, the authorities are also closing in on his successor Roh Tae-woo.

Roh, who served as president between 1988 and 1992, was sentenced to 17 years in prison and fined 262.8 billion won in 1997 on a number of charges including revolt and bribery.

Unlike Chun, who has not paid most of his fines, Roh has about 10 percent, or 23 billion won, in outstanding fines.

On May 29, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office filed for an injunction to force his younger brother Roh Jae-woo to pay some of his fines by selling his shares in his company.

The younger Roh operates a refrigerated storage company that was set up with 12 billion won of his brother’s slush funds.

In response to the prosecutors’ move, the younger Roh has called a shareholders meeting where he plans to change the number of directors on his company’s board in an effort to hamper the sale of his shares.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)