Seoul Jung-gu, Local Tax Refund Notification Text Service

Operation of Unified Local Tax Refund Clearance Period Until the End of May with SMS Service... For Corporations, Refund Notices Will Be Sent and Visits to Business Sites Scheduled for Amounts Exceeding 1 Million Won

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Jung-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Seoyangho) has designated the period from this month to May 31 as a two-month comprehensive local tax unclaimed refund settlement period to enhance taxpayer convenience and expedite refunds, and is implementing a "Local Tax Refund Notification Text Message Service."

The district has been providing local tax refund notifications through various methods such as the internet (WETAX, ETAX, etc.), visits, phone calls, and fax. However, as of last month, there remain 2,048 unclaimed refunds totaling 712 million KRW.

Most of the refund cases arise from changes in local income tax amounts and situations such as ownership transfer or vehicle deregistration after annual automobile tax prepayment.

In particular, small unclaimed refunds under 30,000 KRW account for 72.17% of the total. Due to taxpayers' lack of interest, the refund application rate is low, causing unclaimed refunds to accumulate and administrative costs for notification to be repeatedly incurred.

Accordingly, since last year, the district has started the local tax refund notification text message service to make it easier to claim refunds. As a result of notifying 1,527 local tax refunds totaling 619 million KRW via text messages, 1,081 cases amounting to 608 million KRW were successfully refunded.

This year as well, the district will provide various services for taxpayer convenience, including notifications through the local tax refund text message service and a pre-registration system for local tax refund accounts.

For corporations where text messaging is difficult, the district plans to send refund notices after updating information such as business closure status, location, representative, and address. For corporations with refunds exceeding 1 million KRW, the district intends to visit the business site to deliver the local tax refund notice directly.

Non-face-to-face refund application methods include Seoul ETAX, Ministry of the Interior and Safety WETAX, Seoul mobile service STAX (smartphone app), and the Government Civil Service Portal Minwon24. Applications can also be made via the refund application text reception-only number at the Jung-gu Tax Department.

Donations, which lead to the practice of neighborly love, are also possible. When sending the refund notice, a transfer application and donation application form are enclosed to inform taxpayers about the refund donation system. If consent is given for donation, the refund amount is donated to the Community Chest of Korea's Fruit of Love, and income deduction can be received during year-end tax settlement.

Seoyangho, Mayor of Jung-gu, stated, "During the local tax unclaimed refund settlement period, we will do our best to ensure that all refunds reach diligent taxpayers by providing notifications via text messages so that taxpayers can receive their local tax refunds more conveniently."

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