Ra Guna to Return to KBL's Gas Corp After Court Approves Injunction on Registration Hold Over Tax Dispute

Professional basketball player Ra Guna of the Korea Gas Corporation, whose player registration had been put on hold due to a tax-related dispute, will be able to take to the court next season following a court decision.

Civil Division 50 of the Seoul Central District Court has sustained an application for a provisional injunction filed jointly by Ra Guna and Gas Corporation against the KBL to suspend the effect of the disposition withholding player registration.

With this decision, Ra Guna's legal status as a registered KBL player has been officially recognized.

Having been blocked from registering and forced to undergo individual training while awaiting the ruling, Ra Guna has found a path to normally join the Gas Corporation squad.

The conflict originated from approximately 398 million won in comprehensive income taxes incurred in 2024 while Ra Guna was under contract with KCC.

At a board of directors meeting in May 2024, the KBL changed Ra Guna's status from a naturalized player to a general foreign player, and resolved that the income tax for that year would be borne by his final acquiring club.

Consequently, Gas Corporation, which acquired Ra Guna ahead of the 2025-2026 season, came to shoulder the tax burden.

However, the conflict escalated after Ra Guna paid the taxes himself and filed a lawsuit with the court against KCC, the original contracting party, claiming the return of unjust enrichment.

Citing that Gas Corporation failed to implement the board resolution, the KBL imposed a fine of 30 million won in January this year, followed by withholding Ra Guna's registration ahead of the player registration deadline for the 2026-2027 season last May.

In addition, the KBL took heavy disciplinary action by stripping Gas Corporation of its first-round draft pick for the domestic rookie player draft.

In response, Ra Guna and Gas Corporation filed a court injunction, claiming that the KBL's measures were unfair.

The court pointed out that it is difficult to view the board resolution claimed by the KBL as having been lawfully made.

In its ruling, the court stated, "Given that there were conflicts of opinion among directors regarding which club should bear the taxes when a player returns after advancing to an overseas league, it is difficult to conclude that the resolution was made after such issues were dealt with in depth."

It further explained, "The matter concerning the tax burden of foreign players was discussed as a 'reporting item' rather than an 'agenda item' at the board meeting, and there is no basis to find that resolution procedures according to internal regulations took place, with only opposition of opinions expressed. Therefore, it is difficult to accept the claim that Gas Corporation assumed the obligation to bear the comprehensive income tax from KCC based on the said board resolution."

The court's judgment is ultimately that the taxes in question should be borne by KCC as originally contracted.

The court ruled, "There is considerable room to see that the withholding of player registration, premised on Gas Corporation's violation of the board resolution, is unlawful."

Following the court's decision, Ra Guna, who had been put on hold by the KBL's brakes, will join team training as soon as possible.

The specific schedule for his entry into the country has not yet been finalized.

However, as the schedule is too tight for him to directly join the preseason training camp in Nagoya, Japan, from the United States before it wraps up on the 9th, he plans to join the team directly in Daegu, their home base, to coincide with the squad's return.

Through law firm Hyunlim, Ra Guna conveyed his stance, saying, "I will shake off the mental burden I have carried so far, immediately join the Gas Corporation training, and devote myself to showing our fans the best performance in the upcoming new season."

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.