Seoul City Launches Collection Efforts Against 1,833 High-Amount Tax Defaulters Owing Over 10 Million Won

"Payment Request Notice" Sent on January 16
Aggressive Pursuit of Administrative Sanctions, Including Asset Seizures

Seoul City will launch a rigorous collection campaign targeting high-amount tax delinquents who failed to pay more than 10 million won in taxes last year.

On January 21, the city announced that it had taken over collection rights for 1,833 newly identified high-amount city tax delinquents from 25 districts last year, totaling 156.6 billion won, and that the city government would directly pursue collection.

The 38th Tax Collection Division of Seoul City is conducting delinquent tax collection for high-amount defaulters. Provided by Seoul City

The city completed investigations into the assets and families of these high-amount defaulters and, on January 16, sent out “payment demand notices” to all 1,833 individuals.

Among the cases transferred to the city, the individual with the highest delinquency is Mr. Jeong (38), a resident of Gangseo District, who owes 3.3 billion won in local income tax. Mr. Jeong previously served as the CEO of a building materials wholesale and retail company and has a criminal record for fraud, having been incarcerated.

The corporation with the largest delinquency is a company based in Seocho District, established in 2007 and engaged in housing construction and sales, which owes 7.6 billion won in real estate acquisition tax. The company failed to commence construction within three years after acquiring land for housing development, resulting in additional acquisition taxes, which remain unpaid.

The city plans to aggressively pursue administrative sanctions such as active asset seizures and restrictions on licensed business operations. In particular, through cooperation with related agencies such as district offices, the Korea Customs Service, and the National Police Agency, Seoul will conduct home searches, crack down on delinquent vehicles, track virtual assets, and disclose the names of defaulters as part of strong collection activities to secure tax revenue.

Additionally, the city will establish an intensive management system for 276 high-amount delinquents (owing a total of 107.1 billion won) who account for 68.4% of newly delinquent taxes last year. Through thorough field investigations and searches, Seoul plans to take strong legal action, including lawsuits, against property concealment activities as part of its robust delinquent tax collection efforts.

Oh Sewoo, head of the 38th Tax Collection Division of Seoul City, stated, “In order to protect the rights of the vast majority of citizens who faithfully pay their taxes, the 38th Tax Collection Division will mobilize all its capabilities to relentlessly track down and collect from those who deliberately evade their obligations.”