South Korean prosecutors said on Wednesday they would refer President Lee Myung-bak’s only son to the tax authorities as they handed down indictments over a land deal for Lee’s retirement home.
Although Lee Si-hyung was not among the three people indicted, prosecutors said his tax records would be checked for possible evasion of gift tax on financial help he received from family members to help buy a plot for the home.
“Lee Si-hyung has been cleared of suspicion of violating real estate laws,” special prosecutor Lee Kwang-bum told reporters.
“But we’ve decided to pass on documents to the National Tax Service due to suspicions of gift tax evasion.”
Those indicted on various breach-of-trust charges relating to the land deal included the former head of the presidential security service, Kim In-jong.
The indictments followed a one-month investigation by special prosecutors into alleged irregularities in the purchase of the land on the southern edge of Seoul.