Vehicle License Plates Are Being Seized! ... Hapcheon-gun's Full-Scale Collection of Local Tax Arrears in the First Half of This Year

Hapcheon County Office.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] Hapcheon-gun, Gyeongnam Province, will operate the '2022 First Half Local Tax and Non-Tax Revenue Delinquency Clearance Period' until the end of June and focus on confiscating license plates of delinquent vehicles.

They are concentrating administrative efforts to enhance local fiscal soundness and reduce accumulated local tax revenue delinquencies caused by economic downturn and tax payment negligence.

As of the end of May this year, the local tax carryover delinquency amount is 824 million KRW, and the non-tax revenue delinquency amount is 2.094 billion KRW. Hapcheon-gun has set a collection target of over 34.5% of the local tax carryover delinquency and over 25% of the non-tax revenue carryover delinquency.

To clear the delinquent amounts, the county will actively engage in collection activities such as analyzing delinquency data, sending bulk reminder notices, and encouraging payment via phone calls and visits to induce voluntary payment. If payment is not made, they plan to proceed with seizure of real estate, vehicles, and bonds.

Additionally, for seized real estate and vehicles, they will analyze practical benefits and, after announcing public auction, request the Korea Asset Management Corporation to conduct the auction.

For delinquent vehicles related to automobile tax, which accounts for 23% of local tax delinquencies, and automobile-related fines, which account for 25% of non-tax revenue delinquencies, a collection task force will be organized and operated to focus on confiscating license plates.

In 2021, Hapcheon-gun collected 99% of the local tax assessed amount of 47.2 billion KRW, totaling 46.7 billion KRW, and 97% of the non-tax revenue assessed amount of 46.5 billion KRW, totaling 44.9 billion KRW, earning an excellence award in the year-end tax administration evaluation of Gyeongsangnam-do.

Park Soo-hyun, head of the Finance Department of Hapcheon-gun, said, "Although it is a difficult time due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, we plan to carry out strong delinquency collection activities to foster a culture of sincere tax payment and improve the county's financial conditions," adding, "We will ensure that a sound taxpaying consciousness is established."