Gwanak-gu launches tailored tax delinquency program linking collection with welfare support

Gwanak-gu in Seoul has launched a field-based, tailored tax delinquency management program that assesses each delinquent taxpayer's ability to pay and living conditions, combining collection efforts with referrals to welfare services.

The district has operated an eight-member "delinquency management team" — seven fixed-term workers and one dedicated civil servant — since August. Over three months, the team collected 210 million won ($157,000) in overdue taxes and connected 24 residents to welfare services.

The team conducts phone and in-person consultations to carefully assess each delinquent taxpayer's financial situation, ability to pay and living conditions.

Those found to be deliberately avoiding payment despite having the means to pay face property investigations, asset seizures and other enforcement measures under relevant laws. Residents struggling financially who cannot pay are guided toward installment plans, and those needing welfare or employment support are referred to specialized counselors in the relevant departments.

In August, the team identified a resident with no steady income and facing financial hardship during a phone consultation over unpaid local taxes. After two on-site visits to assess the resident's living conditions and welfare needs, the team referred the case to the district's welfare department.

The district plans to hire seven more fixed-term workers next year to continue operating the team. It will pursue payment guidance and on-site assessments tailored to each type of delinquency, while connecting residents in need with welfare and employment support to address both unpaid taxes and daily hardships.

"The delinquency management team is not simply an organization that collects taxes — it is an administrative effort to find residents' difficulties in the field and work together toward solutions," Gwanak-gu District Mayor Park Jun-hee said. "We will continue to pursue fair yet compassionate tax administration: responding firmly to those who can pay but choose not to, while connecting those who genuinely need help with welfare and employment support."