[Polpol News] Inheritance Tax Top Rate Reduced to 30% 'Divided Opinions'... Support 45.3% vs Oppose 46.1%

Realmeter Poll
Comprehensive Real Estate Tax: Conditional Abolition 39.0%, Status Quo 33.9%, Complete Abolition 19.0%

Public opinion was sharply divided regarding the reduction of the highest inheritance tax rate.

According to a public opinion poll released on the 27th by the polling firm Realmeter (commissioned by Energy Economy Newspaper and conducted on the 25th with 505 men and women aged 18 and over nationwide, using 97% mobile phone and 3% landline phone automated response system (ARS)), 45.3% of respondents supported lowering the inheritance tax from the current 50% to 30% to promote economic revitalization and asset liquidity to the OECD average level, while 46.1% opposed it, citing concerns over tax cuts for the wealthy and tax revenue losses. The difference between the two sides was within the margin of error (±4.4 percentage points).

The issue divided opinions by age group: those in their 60s (support 54.5% vs. oppose 37.8%) and 70s (support 46.8% vs. oppose 31.1%) showed more support. Conversely, those in their 50s (support 39.0% vs. oppose 58.3%) and 40s (support 38.3% vs. oppose 58.1%) showed more opposition. Regarding political orientation, conservatives showed a higher rate of support for inheritance tax reduction, while progressive respondents tended to oppose it.

Regarding the comprehensive real estate holding tax (종합부동산세, Jonghab Budongsanse), 39.0% supported a conditional abolition (maintaining taxation on ultra-high-priced single homes and multi-family high-priced homeowners), while 33.9% favored maintaining the current system. Support and maintenance opinions were closely divided within the margin of error. Those favoring a complete abolition of the tax accounted for 19.0%.

Looking at ideological tendencies, among those identifying as conservative (conditional abolition 44.6%, maintaining current system 18.6%, complete abolition 30.2%), abolition opinions were predominant. Conversely, among respondents identifying as progressive (conditional abolition 29.5%, maintaining current system 51.7%, complete abolition 10.4%), maintaining the current system was the majority opinion.