Skip to main content

Heesun Chung

Hanyang University · Business, Management and Accounting

About the Lab

Professor Heesun Chung's research lab specializes in auditing, earnings management, and corporate governance, with a particular focus on the strategic behavior of firms and auditors in response to financial reporting incentives. The lab investigates opinion shopping, classification shifting, and the impact of accounting standards and debt financing on earnings management, especially in the context of Korean firms and regulatory environments. Key research directions include the role of auditor choice, the consequences of audit quality, and the influence of tax and governance incentives on financial reporting decisions. The lab employs rigorous empirical methods, including event studies and difference-in-differences analysis, to assess the real-world implications of these behaviors.

opinion shoppingclassification shiftingaudit qualityearnings managementIFRS adoption

Research Overview

Papers
37
Total Citations
210
Papers (5y)
11
Primary Field
Business, Management and Accounting

Research Output Trend

Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.

Publications per year (5y)
11total
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
Citations per year (5y)
22total
20222023202420252026

Selected Papers

15
1
Article|86 citations·2018
Opinion Shopping to Avoid a Going Concern Audit Opinion and Subsequent Audit Quality
Heesun Chung, Catherine Heyjung Sonu, Yoonseok Zang, Jong‐Hag Choi
SJR Q1Auditing A Journal of Practice & Theory

SUMMARY Despite regulatory concerns over opinion shopping (OS) behavior, there exists little systematic evidence on the prevalence and consequences of OS to avoid a going concern opinion (GCO). Using Lennox's (2000) framework to identify OS, we find that distressed firms successfully engage in OS to avoid a GCO. Moreover, clients engaging in OS exhibit a higher ex post Type II error rate in audit opinions than clients that do not, and the higher Type II error rate is salient for clients switchin

AccountingBusiness, Management and Accounting
2
Article|18 citations·2020
Korean evidence on auditor switching for opinion shopping and capital market perceptions of audit quality
Heesun Chung, Yewon Kim, Hee‐Yeon Sunwoo
SJR Q3Asia-Pacific Journal of Accounting & Economics

This study examines whether auditor switching for opinion shopping (OS) influences investors’ perceptions of audit quality (proxied by earnings response coefficients; ERCs). To the extent that audit quality deteriorates after firms switch auditors for OS, investors are less likely to rely on these firms’ audited earnings. This may result in a negative association between auditor switching for OS and ERCs. However, when the intention for auditor switching is undetected by investors, ERCs would do

AccountingBusiness, Management and Accounting
3
Article|16 citations·2019
Controlling shareholders' tax incentives and related party transactions
Heesun Chung, Sunhwa Choi, Woon‐Oh Jung
SJR Q1Pacific-Basin Finance Journal
AccountingBusiness, Management and Accounting
4
Article|14 citations·2020
Controlling Shareholders' Tax Incentives and Classification Shifting*
Heesun Chung, Sunhwa Choi, Woon‐Oh Jung
SJR Q1Contemporary Accounting Research

ABSTRACT Although prior studies provide evidence on the financial reporting incentives to inflate core earnings through classification shifting (e.g., shifting core expenses to income‐decreasing noncore items), few examine the tax‐related incentive to report lower core earnings through classification shifting. We examine the effect of controlling shareholders' tax incentives on firms' classification shifting using the introduction of a tax law in Korea that imposes a gift tax on controlling shar

AccountingBusiness, Management and Accounting
5
Article|11 citations·2019
Overconfident CEOs and Corporate Tax Avoidance
Sang Myung Kim, Sung Ook Park, Heesun Chung
Journal of Taxation and Accounting
AccountingBusiness, Management and Accounting
6
Article|10 citations·2021
Debt financing and classification shifting of private firms
Heesun Chung, Bum‐Joon Kim, Eugenia Y. Lee, Hee‐Yeon Sunwoo
SJR Q1Managerial Auditing Journal

Purpose This study aims to examine whether debt financing creates incentives for private firms to engage in earnings management via classification shifting. Especially, the authors examine whether debt-induced financial reporting incentives differ depending on the type of debt (i.e. public bonds versus private loans) and whether such incentives are influenced by the characteristics of external auditors (i.e. initial audits and auditor size). Design/methodology/approach The study uses data on 93,

AccountingBusiness, Management and Accounting
7
Article|9 citations·2022
The effect of the rules- versus principles-based accounting standards on opinion shopping
Heesun Chung, Yewon Kim
SJR Q1Managerial Auditing Journal

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine whether the change in accounting standards from the rules-based local GAAP to the principles-based IFRS influences a manager’s opportunistic auditor choice for a favorable audit opinion, opinion shopping (OS) behavior. The authors view that IFRS adopters exploit the flexibility of IFRS to their advantage and search for auditors that are more likely to give clean opinions. However, auditors may refuse to yield to client pressure for OS, because of t

AccountingBusiness, Management and Accounting
8
Article|8 citations·2015
Auditor Change for Audit Opinion Shopping and Impairment of Audit Quality
Jong‐Hag Choi, Heesun Chung
korean management review

본 연구는 국내 비상장기업을 대상으로 Lennox(2000)의 방법론을 적용하여 감사의견 구매 목적의 감사인 교체 현상이 존재하는지 살펴보고, 이러한 감사인 교체가 감사품질에 미치는 영향을 분석하였다. 비상장기업의 경우 상장기업과 비교하여 비적정의견을 받는 경우가 많은 반면, 감사인 교체에 대한 정책당국의 감독 및 감시가 상대적으로 철저하지 않으므로 감사의견을 개선할 목적의 감사인 교체가 가능할 것으로 예측하였다. 2006년부터 2013년까지 70,040 기업-년을 대상으로 분석한 결과, 현 감사인과 비교하여 후임 감사인으로부터 비적정의견을 받을 확률이 낮을 경우 감사인이 교체된 반면, 그 반대일 경우 현 감사인이 교체되지 않고 재고용되고 있음을 발견하였다. 이는 국내 비상장기업들이 의견구매 목적으로 감사인을 교체하고 있음을 지지하는 결과이다. 또한, 이러한 의견구매 목적의 감사인 교체 이후 성과조정 재량적 발생액이 증가하는 것으로 나타났다. 수준(level) 변수를 이용한 분석뿐

Information SystemsComputer Science
9
Article|8 citations·2018
Opinion Shopping to Avoid a Going Concern Audit Opinion and Subsequent Audit Quality
Jong‐Hag Choi, Heesun Chung, Catherine Heyjung Sonu, Yoonseok Zang
SSRN Electronic JournalOA

Despite regulatory concerns over opinion shopping (OS) behavior, there exists little systematic evidence on the prevalence and consequences of OS to avoid a going concern opinion (GCO) in today’s audit environment. Using 11,628 distressed sample firms over the period 2004–2012 and Lennox’s (2000) framework to identify OS, we find that distressed firms successfully engage in OS to avoid a GCO. Moreover, clients engaging in OS exhibit a higher ex post Type II error rate in audit opinions than clie

AccountingBusiness, Management and Accounting
10
Article|7 citations·2020
The Effect of Auditor Characteristics on Audit Fee Discount and Audit Quality during the Global Financial Crisis
Heesun Chung, Meeok Cho
SJR Q4Korean Accounting Review

최근 코로나19 팬데믹으로 인한 글로벌 위기상황 때문에 기업 경영활동의 불확실성은 더욱 높아졌다. 이러한 위기의 시기에 회계시스템은 기존과는 다른 방식으로 운영될 것으로 예상된다. 본 연구에서는 과거 글로벌 금융위기 시기에 회계감사인이 피감기업의 감사보수 할인압력에 어떻게 대응했으며, 그 결과 감사품질에 어떠한 영향이 있었는지 살펴봄으로써 위기의 시기에 관련 시사점을 얻는 것을 목적으로 한다. 특히 감사인이 금융위기에 감사보수를 할인한 배경을 감사인의 능력을 반영하는 특성(예: 계속감사 여부 및 산업전문성)에 비추어 살펴본다. 본 연구의 실증분석 결과는 다음과 같다. 우선 국내 선행연구와 일치하게 금융위기 시기에 그 이전과 비교하여 감사보수 할인현상을 발견하였다. 그런데 이러한 감사보수 할인현상은 감사인 교체기업 표본에서는 발견되지 않고 계속감사기업 표본이며 산업전문가가 감사인이 감사한 표본에 한해 나타났다. 또한 계속감사기업 표본에서 산업전문 감사인들은 금융위기 시기에 금융위기 전

AccountingBusiness, Management and Accounting
11
Article|6 citations·2022
감사시장의 경쟁과 감사의견구매
조재희, 정희선, 김예원
https://www.kaa-edu.or.kr:462/html/sub03_03.asp

최근 회계법인의 대형화 및 전문화를 위한 회계개혁 법안이 도입되며 회계법인 간 합병이 빈번하게 발생하고 있다. 본 연구는 감사시장이 소수의 회계법인으로 구성되어 감사인 간 경쟁수준이 낮을 경우 기업이 기회주의적으로 감사인을 선택하는 감사의견구매 현상에 어떠한 영향이 있는지 살펴보는 것을 목적으로 한다. 회계법인 간 경쟁수준이 낮은 감사시장에서 감사인은 피감기업에 대해 높은 협상력을 갖게 되고, 이를 이용하여 피감기업의 의견구매 시도에 응하지 않을 가능성이 있다. 그러나 반대의 예측도 가능하다. 경쟁수준이 낮은 감사시장에서 감사인은 현실에 안주하여 전문성을 개발하지 않고 피감기업과 유착하여 그 의견구매 요청에 순응할 가능성도 있다. 특히 그 독과점적 지위를 유지할 목적으로 피감기업의 의견구매에 적극 응했을 가능성이 있다. 본 연구에서는 2007년부 터 2019년까지 19,182개의 국내 상장기업-연도를 대상으로 감사의견구매 현상이 감사시장의 경쟁정도에 영향을 받는지 살펴보았다. 분석결

12
Article|3 citations·2022
Shareholders’ tax incentives and changes in the organizational form of foreign operations
Heesun Chung, Sunhwa Choi
SJR Q1Journal of Accounting and Public Policy
AccountingBusiness, Management and Accounting
13
Article|3 citations·2023
Does opinion shopping impair auditor independence? Evidence from tax avoidance
Heesun Chung, Eugenia Y. Lee
SJR Q2Journal of Contemporary Accounting & Economics
AccountingBusiness, Management and Accounting
14
Article|3 citations·2018
The Effect of Auditor Switching for Opinion Shopping on Subsequent Audit Fees
Heesun Chung, Hee‐Yeon Sunwoo, Jong‐Hag Choi
SJR Q4Korean Accounting Review
AccountingBusiness, Management and Accounting
15
Article|1 citations·2021
The Impact of Foreign Ownership on Firms’ Audit Opinion Shopping Behavior
Heesun Chung, Yewon Kim
SJR Q4Korean Accounting Review

This study examines whether foreign investors influence firms’ opportunistic auditor choices for a better audit opinion. Foreign investors that are typically institutional investors and have global portfolios of equity shares are regarded as more sophisticated than domestic investors. Thus, they are more likely to perceive investing firms’ opinion shopping behavior than domestic investors. However, due to less informal channels through which they can communicate with insiders (e.g., CEO, board m

AccountingBusiness, Management and Accounting

Research Areas

AccountingEconomics and EconometricsInformation SystemsManagement, Monitoring, Policy and LawStrategy and ManagementManagement Information Systems

Dive deeper into Heesun Chung's research on Nubint

Open this lab's papers in the app to read with AI, summarize, and cite in your writing.