The National Tax Service (NTS) has been confirmed to be conducting monitoring related to tax evasion suspicions involving some political YouTubers. Since the emergency martial law incident on December 3, political YouTube broadcasts have increased and competition for revenue has intensified. As provocative slander and extreme behavior to raise more donations have emerged as social issues, attention is focusing on the NTS's response measures.
According to materials released on the 6th by Assemblyman Cha Gyugeun of the Joguk Innovation Party, despite criticisms during the 2022 National Assembly audit that the NTS should verify the income sources of YouTubers causing disturbances in front of former President Moon Jae-in’s residence and tax them accordingly, it has been confirmed that no tax investigations have been conducted so far.
However, the NTS is conducting monitoring of such political YouTubers and has stated that if any tax evasion suspicions are detected, tax investigations will be carried out.
The income tax law amendment bill proposed by Assemblyman Cha on December 31 last year stipulates that if individual YouTubers, video creators, and other media content creators receive advertising revenue or donations from viewers, these are subject to income tax. When receiving donations, they must report the relevant account to the head of the competent tax office. This aims to prevent tax blind spots where some YouTubers display account numbers on their broadcast screens to collect donations without reporting.
Assemblyman Cha said, "Some political YouTubers continue their broadcasts using more provocative language and extreme behavior to compete and raise donations through YouTube broadcasts," adding, "The income tax law amendment bill should be passed in the National Assembly as soon as possible to close tax blind spots."
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