A bill has been proposed to expand local tax exemption benefits for people with disabilities and national merit recipients.
On the 19th, Heo Jong-sik, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea representing Incheon Dong-gu Michuhol-gu Gap, announced that he had taken the lead in proposing the "Partial Amendment to the Local Tax Special Cases Act" containing such provisions.
Under the current law, acquisition tax and automobile tax are exempted when people with disabilities or national merit recipients who have been assessed with a disability grade acquire prosthetic or livelihood activity vehicles.
However, for passenger cars with a seating capacity of six or fewer, this applies only to those with an engine displacement of 2000CC or less, and the exemption benefit is set to expire at the end of 2024.
However, there have been many cases where small cars with an engine displacement of 2000CC or less cause inconvenience when people with disabilities load assistive devices such as wheelchairs or crutches or are accompanied by caregivers, leading to criticism that the current engine displacement limit is too strict and lacks effectiveness.
The amendment raises the engine displacement requirement for passenger cars eligible for tax reduction from the current 2000CC to 2500CC and extends the sunset date for two years until December 31, 2025, to continue supporting tax reduction benefits.
Rep. Heo said, "While the engine displacement requirement is set at 2000cc or less based on the judgment that allowing tax exemption for high-priced cars is an excessive benefit, it is difficult to consider vehicles exceeding this as necessarily luxury cars," adding, "To fully realize the purpose of the law to support the mobility and economic activities of people with disabilities and national merit recipients, it is necessary to establish realistic standards."
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