This composite image from Yonhap News TV depicts crackdowns on tax delinquents.
SEOUL, Nov. 16 (Korea Bizwire) — The government on Wednesday disclosed a list of more than 11,000 habitual and large-case tax delinquents nationwide, with an e-cigarette importer and retailer topping the list with about 19 billion won (US$14.3 million) in arrears.
The list unveiled by the interior ministry on its website contains the names and identities of 11,224 delinquent taxpayers, who had more than 10 million won in delinquent local taxes or local administrative penalty charges as of Jan. 1 this year for longer than one year.
Kim Jun-yeop, a 40-year-old man who imports, manufactures and sells e-cigarette raw materials, was ranked first on the list by failing to pay his tobacco consumption tax worth about 19.02 billion won, the ministry said.
Two residents of Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds Seoul, who are named Lim Tae-gyu, 51, and Park Jeong-in, 71, were ranked second and third, respectively, with 12.1 billion won and 3.8 billion won in delinquent local income taxes, it added.
Former President Chun Doo-hwan, who had been on the list for eight straight years until 2021 with about 980 million won in delinquent taxes, was delisted this year due to his death in November last year.
The ministry said the number of large and habitual tax evaders disclosed online increased by 929 persons, or 9 percent, from 10,296 last year.
By region, Seoul and Gyeonggi Province accounted for 2,774 and 2,433, respectively, of the national total, it noted.
A ministry official said the government will take stern measures against the large case and habitual tax delinquents so that most people who pay taxes faithfully do not feel deprived.
(Yonhap)
