Ulsan tax arrears team collects 722 million won, links residents to welfare
In short
Ulsan city said its arrears management team collected 722 million won in overdue local taxes and non-tax revenue in about two months, more than double the programme's 360 million won annual operating budget. The 36-member team surveys arrears of less than 1 million won and also refers at-risk residents to welfare services, the city said. It is to operate until Nov 6, and the city plans to expand it next year.
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Ulsan city said its arrears management team collected 722 million won in overdue local taxes and non-tax revenue during about two months of operation, an amount it said is more than double the programme's 360 million won annual operating budget. Kyunghyang Shinmun and Yonhap both reported the figure on Oct 5. [ 2 , 3 ]
The team was created to survey small arrears of less than 1 million won. Yonhap reported that 36 staff were placed in the city's five districts from June 11. The city said the field surveys produce both tax collection and referrals to welfare services, extending work that had previously focused on large-scale arrears to small-scale debtors and matching collection to each person's circumstances. [ 2 , 3 ]
Among the cases the city cited, a resident in Jung-gu who owed 620,000 won in local tax had taken psychiatric medication for nearly 30 years and refused face-to-face contact. The team persuaded the resident to meet and supported an application for basic livelihood benefits through the administrative welfare centre, according to the reports. In Ulju county, a so-called “ghost vehicle” registered in the name of a basic livelihood recipient in his 70s was deregistered in August after the team explained the paperwork; the reports said the resident then paid the arrears in full. [ 2 , 3 ]
Yonhap also reported that in Nam-gu, a foreign national with unpaid taxes was found to have died. The team contacted family abroad and guided them through the death report, and the 760,000 won in arrears was put on hold, resolving years of notices sent to an acquaintance's address, according to the report. [ 2 ]
The team will operate until Nov 6, the city said, and it plans to expand the programme next year based on this year's results. A city official said the operation was achieving “various policy effects”, including tax fairness, securing local finances, job creation and identifying welfare recipients. Kyunghyang Shinmun quoted a city official saying the programme was producing “various policy effects” alongside securing local finances and finding welfare recipients. [ 2 , 3 ]
The outlets differ on the operating period: Yonhap said the team has run since June 11 and will continue until Nov 6, while Kyunghyang Shinmun described the operation as running in June-August. Newsis reported the results in its headline; the article text carried with its entry concerned an unrelated defence story. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The programme is a local government effort that pairs small-scale tax collection with welfare referrals, and the city says the amount recovered exceeds its running cost. Its stated plan to expand next year indicates Ulsan intends to keep the model, though the effect is limited to one city's finances and residents.
Key facts
- Ulsan city's arrears management team collected 722 million won in overdue local taxes and non-tax revenue over about two months. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The city said the collected amount is more than double the programme's annual operating budget of 360 million won. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Yonhap reported that 36 team members were deployed to the city's five districts from June 11 to survey arrears of less than 1 million won. [ 2 ]
- The city said the team helped a Jung-gu resident who owed 620,000 won in local taxes to apply for basic livelihood benefits. [ 2 , 3 ]
- In Ulju county, a vehicle registered in the name of a basic livelihood recipient in his 70s was deregistered and the arrears were paid in full. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The team is to operate until Nov 6, and the city plans to expand the programme next year. [ 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Ulsan city's arrears management team collected around 700 million won in overdue local taxes and non-tax revenue in about two months; Yonhap and Kyunghyang Shinmun gave the figure as 722 million won. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The city said the collected amount exceeds twice the programme's annual operating budget of 360 million won. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The team linked a Jung-gu resident who owed 620,000 won in local tax to welfare services. [ 2 , 3 ]
- In Ulju county, a vehicle registered under a basic livelihood recipient in his 70s was deregistered and the person paid the arrears in full. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The team is to run until Nov 6 and the city plans to expand it next year based on this year's results. [ 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the programme has run continuously since June or only during June-August. Yonhap says the team has been operating since June 11 and will continue until Nov 6, while Kyunghyang Shinmun describes the operation as taking place in June-August.
- The case of a foreign national in Nam-gu whose death was confirmed and whose 760,000 won in arrears was put on hold. Reported only by Yonhap, with no second outlet or official statement cited.
- The size of the team, given as 36 people. Stated only by Yonhap.
- The article text carried with the Newsis entry concerns a defence story about a DMZ mine explosion, not the Ulsan tax collection programme. Only the Newsis headline relates to this event, so its article body could not be used for specifics.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Newsis reports that Ulsan's arrears management team collected 700 million won in two months and also found welfare blind spots. [ 1 ]
- Yonhap reports the city deployed 36 team members to five districts from June 11 and that the team collected 722 million won. [ 2 ]
- Kyunghyang Shinmun reports the same collection figure, describing the operation as running in June-August and continuing until Nov 6. [ 3 ]