[THE INVESTOR] A labor union of pilots at the South Korean flag carrier Korean Air on Tuesday accused the company and its leaders of tax evasion on Aug. 9 and urged the national tax office to launch a probe.

Some 150 Korean Air pilots gathered outside Seoul regional office of the National Tax Service and demanded an official tax investigation.

“As changes from within seem impossible now, we hope to correct the immoral managerial behaviors of the company through a strict probe by state authorities,” the pilots said, accusing the company and its top executives of evading taxes and stashing away company assets for personal gains.

“We have already filed a report with the authorities and are considering filing a legal complaint,” they said.

The accusations, however, followed nearly eight months of failed negotiations over a pay raise.

The company quickly dismissed the accusations, calling them a flat-out lie and pledging a stern punishment for those who it said were intentionally smearing the company’s reputation for their personal gains.

“The pilots‘ union has raised a series of groundless allegations against the company, but it is in fact spreading lies because it has failed to provide any objective proof,” the company said.

()