"Don't Miss Your Refund" Hanam City Launches Comprehensive Settlement for Unclaimed Local Tax Refunds

Hanam City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Lee Hyunjae) announced on December 4 that it will operate a "Comprehensive Settlement Period for Unclaimed Local Tax Refunds" until December 31, to ensure that taxpayers can claim their local tax refunds in a timely manner.

Aerial view of Hanam City Hall. Provided by Hanam City

This year, the number of unclaimed local tax refunds in Hanam City was tallied at 4,016 cases, totaling approximately 101.5 million won. Of these, 3,735 cases-93% of the total-involve small amounts of 50,000 won or less. Unclaimed refunds mainly arise from situations such as transfer or cancellation of vehicle ownership after prepayment of automobile tax, or national tax adjustments for local income tax. There are also numerous cases where notifications fail to reach recipients due to address discrepancies or extended stays abroad.

During the settlement period, the city plans to assist taxpayers in applying for refunds by utilizing various channels, including not only mailing notifications but also providing information via phone calls.

In addition, through the "Hanam City Kakao Notification Talk (electronic document)" service, even residents staying abroad or foreigners who have difficulty receiving notifications can easily check their refund eligibility. Notification Talk messages are sent automatically without a separate application, and after identity verification, recipients can review the information and conveniently apply for refunds via Wetax or the Kakao channel.

Citizens who do not receive a notification can also check for refunds directly. After checking refund eligibility on Wetax, they can apply immediately. By adding the "Hanam City Local Tax Refund" channel on KakaoTalk, they can easily confirm eligibility, apply for payment, and pre-register their refund account.

If there are outstanding local taxes or non-tax revenue arrears, the refund will first be applied to these arrears, and only the remaining amount will be paid out. Furthermore, as the right to claim a refund expires five years from the refund decision date, the city urged, "Even if the amount is small, please be sure to check and claim it within the deadline."

A Hanam City official stated, "Protecting taxpayers' rights is fundamental to a trustworthy tax administration," and added, "We will continue to enhance guidance and accessibility so that all citizens can easily check their refund eligibility."

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