From the difference between local and national taxes to refunds, the district brings tax administration down to residents' level through its civil servant character 'Shin Sae-rom'
Seoul's Gangseo-gu district office is turning to its official mascot to help residents navigate the complexities of local taxation in an accessible and engaging way.
The district has launched a webtoon series titled "The Puzzling Local Tax Webtoon," featuring Shin Sae-rom — its official mascot modeled on a civil servant — as the main character. The series runs on the district office's website and social media channels.
Rather than distributing one-way informational notices, the webtoon draws on real cases frequently encountered at the civil affairs counter, presenting them as situational skits tailored to residents' everyday understanding to boost both engagement and the effectiveness of information delivery.
The project was initiated under the district's suggestion system, which incorporates residents' ideas into local administration. The district adopted a resident proposal requesting that informational materials on frequently asked questions be made available at the civil affairs counter, then developed it into the webtoon format.
The first episode, recently released under the title "The Great Tax Office Chaos Incident," tackles one of the most common points of confusion among residents: the difference between national taxes and local taxes. It explains specific local tax categories — including automobile tax, property tax and resident tax — and is structured to help readers easily compare and understand how their tax payments are used.
The district plans to continue producing and releasing webtoon episodes on local tax topics that residents frequently ask about.
The next episode, titled "Your Refund Is Not a Scam Call!," was designed to protect residents from voice phishing, a growing social problem. It will walk readers through the procedures and verification methods for unclaimed tax refund notices to help safeguard residents' financial interests.
In addition, an episode covering the district's new delinquency management unit, set to be established in August, is also in the works. That installment will explain the unit's role and operating philosophy — including connecting low-income residents who are behind on payments due to financial hardship, rather than bad faith, to welfare services and guiding them toward installment payment options.
Each webtoon episode also includes QR codes linking directly to payment and refund inquiry pages on Wetax and Etax, improving information accessibility and taxpayer convenience.
"Local taxes are the taxes most closely tied to residents' daily lives, yet the terminology is difficult and the assessment system complex, making them feel distant," district mayor Jin Kyo-hoon said. "We will continue to deliver taxpayer-centered tax administration services that residents can relate to and engage with in their everyday lives."
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
