Suwon Collects Over 40 Billion Won in Delinquent Taxes for 9 Consecutive Years

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Jung Jun-seong] Suwon Special Metropolitan City collected 40.2 billion won in delinquent local taxes and non-tax revenue over the past year, achieving the accomplishment of collecting over 40 billion won in delinquent taxes for nine consecutive years since 2016.

The city set a collection target of 38.8 billion won for delinquent local taxes and non-tax revenue last year and proceeded with collection efforts, ultimately collecting 40.2 billion won—exceeding the target by 1.4 billion won—comprising 29 billion won in local taxes and 11.2 billion won in non-tax revenue.

This marks annual collections exceeding 40 billion won since 2016. In 2023, the city collected 40.5 billion won, consisting of 27.1 billion won in delinquent local taxes and 13.4 billion won in non-tax revenue.

Suwon City's Collection Division has adopted the motto "All-out collection of chronic delinquencies! Realize tax justice!" and continues to track delinquent taxpayers to recover overdue amounts.

Last year, the city strengthened on-site collection activities through home searches of high-delinquent payers and tracking of illegal vehicles used for tax evasion. It also implemented an all-staff collection responsibility system targeting small-amount delinquent payers under 300,000 won.

A mobile strike team for high-delinquent payers with arrears of 5 million won or more was continuously operated, collecting 3 billion won, while high-delinquent payers with arrears of 10 million won or more were subject to home searches and seizure of personal property. The all-staff collection responsibility system involved Collection Division staff making phone calls to delinquent payers and sending text messages and payment notices to encourage continued payment.

The city also employed various collection techniques including tax security deposits, substitute registration (a technique to collect delinquent amounts through substitute auction of real estate mortgages established by delinquent local tax payers), and virtual asset seizure. Additionally, from November, it introduced a mobile electronic notification system sending delinquent local tax and non-tax revenue notices via Kakao Talk.

The city also actively pursued measures to collect delinquent non-tax revenue, including impounding license plates of vehicles with unpaid fines and seizing bank accounts of delinquent payers. The names of 15 high-delinquent payers were also made public.

A city official stated, "We seized and collected from all assets—real estate, vehicles, and deposits—of chronic and high-delinquent payers and imposed strong administrative penalties including publication of names, travel bans, and registration in public records to collect delinquent taxes," adding "This year, we will achieve '10 consecutive years of collecting over 40 billion won in delinquent taxes' through strong collection activities targeting chronic and high-delinquent payers."

The official continued, "We will encourage installment payments for subsistence-level delinquent payers and provide customized collection activities tailored to each delinquent payer, such as postponing vehicle license plate impoundment."