Gyeonggi Province Declares Financial 'Emergency'; Governor Choo Pledges Delinquent Tax Management Unit to Support Citizens in Hardship

Governor Choo Mi-ae of Gyeonggi Province urged the 576 members of the Gyeonggi Province Delinquent Tax Management Unit to serve as a 'warm and fair' presence that residents can turn to during difficult times.

On the 5th, Gyeonggi Province held the '2026 Gyeonggi Province Delinquent Tax Management Unit Inaugural Ceremony' in the Dasan Hall of the Gyeonggi Provincial Government with approximately 400 attendees, including Governor Choo and delinquent tax management unit officials and staff from 31 cities and counties.

At the event, Governor Choo said, "The term 'seori (稅吏),' or tax collector, is a very old profession. Everyone fears public officials who collect taxes. People quietly try to avoid them, and when they meet tax collectors, they pretend not to have anything, claim hardship, or feign financial difficulties. However, there are things tax collectors cannot do. A person needs someone to confide in about their guilty conscience, the feeling that taxes must be paid, the realization that avoidance is not an option, and worries about their financial circumstances. I believe the Delinquent Tax Management Unit was created with this in mind," explaining the background behind the unit's launch.

Governor Choo continued, "For Gyeonggi Province to develop as an economic community, everyone must share the burden and fulfill their tax obligations. However, if people struggle to earn enough for even a meal each day despite working hard, they cannot even think about paying taxes. We can defer taxes until business improves, consider individual circumstances, and connect people with welfare programs, so it is reassuring to be able to lean on such support during difficult times."

She added, "Rather than sharp fairness, we need warm and fair treatment, inclusive fairness, and fairness that people can rely on during hardship. I ask the members of the Delinquent Tax Management Unit to help achieve this."

Regarding a press conference held earlier in the morning, Governor Choo stated, "I made a bombshell announcement at 10 a.m. today. I said that Gyeonggi Province faces a financial crisis. No matter how difficult the situation becomes, we must never shirk responsibility for public safety and citizens' livelihoods. I will make every effort to ensure that each precious won collected by you becomes a catalyst for more inclusive, more innovative, and safer governance in Gyeonggi Province," she emphasized.

The Gyeonggi Province Delinquent Tax Management Unit comprises 576 local tax delinquency management investigators recruited from 31 cities and counties. From August through November, they will actively conduct field-centered delinquent tax management work, including actual fact-finding surveys of delinquent taxpayers and tailored collection activities.

The unit will verify delinquent taxpayers' actual residence status and payment capacity on-site and conduct tailored delinquent tax management according to type: aggressive collection efforts against intentional and habitual delinquent taxpayers, and consultation and guidance tailored to payment conditions for those facing economic hardship.

Gyeonggi Province's delinquent tax burden stands at 1.498 trillion won in 2026, showing a year-on-year increase. The province plans to strengthen field-centered delinquent tax collection activities going forward and continue efforts to establish a culture of honest tax payment and promote fair tax administration.

Earlier in the day, Governor Choo said, "There is some misunderstanding that recent talk about the serious state of Gyeonggi Province's finances is an exaggeration or a justification tactic. This is absolutely untrue. Currently, Gyeonggi Province is in a situation where it cannot even fully maintain projects already underway, let alone pursue new policy initiatives," she stated.