Seoul approves extradition of Japanese suspected of tax evasion

SEOUL, Jan. 25 (Yonhap) -- Seoul has approved the extradition of a Japanese
national who fled to South Korea after being charged with evading corporate taxes
worth 1.67 billion yen (US$18.4 million) in his home country, prosecutors here
said Monday.
The 52-year-old suspect, whose name was withheld, had been under investigation by
Japanese prosecutors on suspicion of evading taxes by omitting the income of his
securities company for a year from May 2007, according to officials at the Seoul
High Prosecutor's Office.
South Korean investigators arrested him last December in Daegu, 302 kilometers
south of Seoul, after the government received a request from Tokyo for the
suspect's extradition.
Prosecutors will hand the suspect over to Japanese authorities after the justice
minister makes final decision, officials said.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
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