[Choi Kyungpil's Book Column] The Unfinished Purge of Deep-rooted Evils, Is There Justice?

Published 29 Oct.2021 10:47(KST)

The statute of limitations evades those who live above the law.

[Choi Kyungpil's Book Column] The Unfinished Purge of Deep-rooted Evils, Is There Justice?

Every crime has a statute of limitations. In particular, for most general criminal cases, the statute of limitations expires after 10 years.

In other words, even if there is suspicion, prosecution cannot be initiated after 10 years. Of course, this is different for serious crimes such as murder.

Recently, there have been ongoing claims that the statute of limitations and expiration period should be excluded for crimes committed under state violence.

In state compensation lawsuits by the bereaved families of victims of incidents such as Jeju 4.3 and Yeo Sun 10·19, many cases have lost the opportunity to sue because the statute of limitations under civil law is limited to 3 years.

The statute of limitations, hidden behind privilege and unfairness, refers to a system where the right to punish a criminal case expires after a certain period of time.

When the statute of limitations is completed, the substantive criminal right expires, so the prosecutor cannot file a prosecution, and if this fact is discovered after prosecution, a dismissal judgment is made due to the lack of substantive procedural conditions.

Recently, those in power, vested interests, and privileged classes have cunningly escaped the law or ignored it as if they were above the law. The author, who has been covering the Blue House and the National Assembly for over 25 years, published a book to inform the public of the anger over the 25 trillion won in habitual high-value tax arrears.

Overcoming the anger peaked by crimes committed by those in power through the force of power and the culture of abuse, the book sends a warning message to those who live above the law, ignore the principles and agreed norms set by society, commit power-related corruption, and whose descendants also live well, laying the foundation for a fair and just society.

The author has thoroughly criticized the absurd and unreasonable behavior he has witnessed in politics for 25 years, and once again digs into the dark corners of our society to face the harsh and shameful reality through the statute of limitations, proposing alternatives and solutions for a fair society and the eradication of deep-rooted evils.

By reading this book, you will be able to see the duties and rights of the people through the eyes of justice as a member of the public.

You will understand exactly why the privileged classes have taken public taxes and why some in power have used the people's taxes, and how this has happened.

There should no longer be an era of deep-rooted evils where people are deceived despite knowing the truth. You should be able to clearly understand what is illegal, what voices need to be raised, and what reforms can be made by the power of the people, speaking fairly as a citizen of the Republic of Korea.

The author previously wrote “The Lies of Power,” published in 2014, exposing the power structure of politicians.

Those who mock the people must be severely punished. The long-standing deep-rooted evils in our society are blatantly revealed starting from the most basic duty of the people, tax payment.

The vast majority of ordinary Korean citizens pay their taxes diligently, and this rate is known to be very high compared to countries worldwide.

Nevertheless, a small number of wealthy and powerful individuals evade paying enormous amounts of taxes for long periods, causing damage to the state and filling their personal greed for generations.

The statute of limitations in tax law is at the center of the loopholes and gaps these individuals exploit to commit illegal acts.

Using the complex and contradictory statute of limitations, they avoid properly fulfilling their social responsibilities for their wealth and power, thereby mocking the honest citizens who work hard and sweat.