Gyeonggi-do Rolls Up Sleeves for Tax Audit Deferral, Rent Mediation, and Market Support for School Meal Farms

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Gyeonggi Province will postpone tax audits for local companies struggling due to the 'novel coronavirus infection' (COVID-19) and implement a commercial lease rent adjustment support project for tenants facing disputes due to unpaid rent.

In addition, the province plans to expand the low-interest loan support project, which was previously applied only to exemplary restaurants, to hygiene grade designated establishments, along with a sales channel support project for farms having difficulties due to school meal delivery disruptions caused by delayed school openings.

According to Gyeonggi Province on the 24th, the province decided to postpone tax audits for companies suffering from COVID-19. The postponement targets include travel, performance, distribution, accommodation, and food service industries that have suffered direct or indirect damage due to multiple confirmed COVID-19 cases within the company or long-term closures caused by visits from confirmed cases.

If the affected company applies for postponement and the mayor or county governor approves, the tax audit will be deferred for a certain period. If a tax audit is already in progress, it will be temporarily suspended upon approval. However, unavoidable cases such as when the period for tax imposition is imminent are excluded.

Along with this, the province will actively participate in the 'social distancing campaign' by refraining from face-to-face visits to companies until the COVID-19 situation stabilizes and maximizing the use of written audit methods.

Lee Ui-hwan, head of the Tax Justice Division of the province, stated, "We empathize with the difficulties faced by companies due to COVID-19 and will do our best to provide support that affected small and medium-sized enterprises can feel."

The province will also carry out a commercial lease rent adjustment project. To this end, consultations related to commercial lease contracts will be increased from twice a week to five times a week, and necessary forms will be provided to tenants to help them easily exercise their rights.

Furthermore, the function of the 'Commercial Lease Dispute Mediation Committee' will be expanded to enable swift dispute resolution. The mediation results through the committee will have the same enforceability as court rulings under the Commercial Lease Protection Act.

Earlier, Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung emphasized, "Although tenants have somewhat been relieved from rent burdens through the Good Landlord Movement, many small business tenants are still struggling. Gyeonggi Province will implement various support projects to promptly mediate rent disputes."

The province will also launch a sales channel support project for farms supplying school meals to elementary, middle, and high schools in the province, which have been struggling due to school closures caused by COVID-19.

Until the 5th of next month, the province will hold an 'Eco-friendly Ingredients Menu Sales Event' at the Uiwang Rest Area on the Seo-Suwon to Uiwang Expressway to support farms supplying school meals. Additionally, promotional materials for 'G Food,' the eco-friendly agricultural and livestock product brand certified by the Gyeonggi Province governor, will be distributed to 42 rest areas in the province to promote G Food ingredients.

A provincial official said, "The Uiwang Rest Area is a multi-use facility used by about 10,000 people daily. We expect this event to somewhat ease the sales difficulties faced by farms supplying school meal raw materials."

The province also decided to expand the low-interest loan project, which had been limited to exemplary restaurants, to 'hygiene grade designated establishments.' Accordingly, hygiene grade designated establishments can receive support up to 30 million KRW with a one-year grace period and two years of equal installment repayment.

Hygiene grade designated establishments are evaluated through hygiene grade assessments and categorized into three levels: very excellent, excellent, and good, with many more establishments than exemplary restaurants.

Kang Seon-moo, head of the Food Safety Division of the province, expressed expectations, saying, "With the addition of hygiene grade designated establishments to the loan support targets, more food hygiene business owners will be able to reduce their operational burdens and secure management funds, thereby providing safer food to residents."

Meanwhile, Gyeonggi Province's budget for low-interest loans to food hygiene establishments this year is 6 billion KRW, and currently, 2.838 billion KRW has been supported to 18 establishments.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.