"We will create a convenient payment environment for residents who support the district's administration through faithful tax compliance."
Seocho-gu Mayor Jeon Seong-su made the pledge as the district kicked off its August resident tax payment month, announcing that tax notices and payment bills have been sent out and that the payment period will run through Aug. 31.
Resident tax, assessed based on status as of July 1, is divided into two categories: the individual portion and the business premises portion. The individual portion applies to household heads registered in Seocho-gu — or, for foreign nationals, those registered as residents — and carries a flat fee of 6,000 won. However, non-head household members, unmarried individuals under 30 who form a single-person household as a direct descendant of a household head, and minors are exempt.
The business premises portion applies to all corporate operators with a place of business in the district, as well as individual operators whose prior-year value-added tax base was 80 million won ($55,500) or more. The base payment is 62,500 won for individual operators, while corporate operators pay between 62,500 won and 250,000 won depending on their capital or investment amount.
Businesses whose total floor area exceeds 330 square meters must add a floor-area surcharge — calculated by multiplying the total floor area by 250 won — to their base payment when filing.
Unlike the individual portion, the business premises portion varies by location, so operators must file a declaration. To ease that burden, the district sent out pre-filled payment bills listing each operator's tax amount on July 31. Operators who pay the amount shown on the bill by Aug. 31 will be deemed to have filed a voluntary declaration without needing to submit a separate form. However, if the floor area listed on the bill differs from the actual figure, operators should file a corrected return through the ETAX website or contact the person listed on the bill.
Resident tax can be paid through Seoul's ETAX website, the STAX smartphone app, simple payment services including Kakao Pay, Naver Pay, Toss and Shinhan Card, a dedicated bank account, ATMs, and other automated payment kiosks. Residents who have difficulty using the internet or a smartphone can also pay by following voice prompts through the ARS phone system.
The district also operates a range of taxpayer-friendly services: an after-hours tax administration service that extends operating hours by two hours after 6 p.m. on payment deadlines, a one-on-one corporate mentoring service, and a tax-payment schedule announcement played as a ringtone on administrative phone lines.
"We will continue to build an ever more convenient payment environment for residents who support the district's administration through faithful tax compliance," Mayor Jeon said.
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
