"Securing Fair General Allocation Tax"... Sejong Sarang Citizens' Coalition Begins Solo Protest in Front of Ministry of the Interior and Safety

Call for Revision of Sejong City's Local Allocation Tax Rules and Normalization of the General Allocation Tax
Citizens' Rally Planned for the 25th, Strengthening Civil Society Solidarity

A representative of the Sejong Sarang Citizens' Coalition is holding a solo protest in front of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. Photo by Sejong Sarang Citizens' Coalition

The Sejong Sarang Citizens' Coalition has recently begun a solo protest in front of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, calling for the resolution of fiscal inequality in Sejong City and the normalization of the general allocation tax. This is a citizen-led movement aimed at urgently improving the reality that Sejong City’s fiscal independence is significantly disadvantaged compared to other local governments nationwide.

In a statement, the coalition asserted, "Although Sejong City is a symbol of balanced national development and serves as the administrative capital of South Korea, the city suffers from a decline in the quality of administrative services and restrictions on innovative city management due to disadvantages in the local allocation tax system. This is a clear case of institutional discrimination and a problem that undermines the foundation of local autonomy."

They emphasized, "Through the revision of the enforcement rules for the local allocation tax, Sejong City must secure the budget for basic administrative duties and establish a stable fiscal foundation as the administrative capital." They also stated, "In the long term, the introduction of a proportional general allocation tax system through legal amendments is necessary." The coalition further pointed out, "Despite Sejong City’s unique administrative structure, which lacks basic local governments such as cities, counties, or districts, there are no corresponding standards for calculating the allocation tax. This has caused serious fiscal imbalance in city operations. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety must immediately revise the enforcement rules of the local allocation tax to reflect the necessary fiscal resources for Sejong City to perform its basic administrative functions."

To press these demands, the coalition plans to hold a "Citizens’ Rally for the Normalization of Sejong City’s General Allocation Tax" on the 25th. The rally will include not only citizens but also various community leaders, civic groups, parent associations, and youth organizations, all calling on the government to establish fair fiscal policies.

Previously, the coalition announced that it has been actively promoting its cause through various civil society networks, including the Lee-Tongjang Association workshop, residents’ autonomy committees, and social organization meetings.