The National Tax Service (NTS) has established delinquency management teams at 133 tax offices nationwide to verify the status of individuals who owe national taxes and other fees, including fines and penalties. The verification will target a total of 5.58 million individuals, comprising 1.34 million national tax delinquents and 4.24 million individuals with outstanding non-tax revenue.

On July 8, the NTS announced the formation of a nationwide 'National Tax and Non-Tax Revenue Delinquency Management Team' and the launch of a field-based verification system for delinquents.

The delinquency management teams will operate from July 8 until December 23, using the 133 tax offices as their bases. They will provide guidance on delinquency and payment methods through phone consultations and, if necessary, visit the addresses or businesses of delinquents to assess their living conditions.

Previously, the collection of non-tax revenue delinquencies was handled individually by various government departments. With the launch of the delinquency management teams, the NTS will also manage delinquencies related to national taxes, fines, penalties, and compensation fees. The government is working to centralize the management of non-tax revenue delinquencies under the NTS this year, with the verification of delinquents serving as a preliminary step. The verification process will begin with fines from the National Police Agency.

The NTS has emphasized that the operation of the delinquency management teams will focus on 'customized delinquency management' rather than mere collection. They plan to assess the economic circumstances and living conditions of delinquents and implement different follow-up measures based on their situations.

For those facing financial difficulties, the NTS will provide information on the expiration of payment obligations for national tax delinquencies and facilitate connections to welfare services. Delinquents experiencing temporary cash flow issues will be offered opportunities to repay their debts in installments.

Conversely, the NTS will conduct investigations on national tax delinquents who intentionally avoid payment even after the verification process.

Delinquents wishing to settle their debts can utilize various payment methods based on the type of delinquency. National tax delinquencies can be paid through the NTS's Home Tax service or online banking, while fines from the National Police Agency can be checked and paid via the Traffic Civil Service 24 website.

Other non-tax revenues, such as compensation fees and penalties, can be paid by checking the electronic payment number on the billing statement from the relevant agency or by contacting that agency directly.

To support the operation of the delinquency management teams, the NTS has hired a total of 5,500 verification personnel, including 2,500 for national tax delinquencies and 3,000 for non-tax revenue delinquencies. The average competition rate for these positions was 4.5 to 1.

The verification personnel underwent training from July 1 to July 7 on taxpayer engagement techniques, confidentiality obligations, and other essential fieldwork skills. NTS Commissioner Lim Kwang-hyun visited the training site on July 3 at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, to explain the roles and vision of the delinquency management teams.

Commissioner Lim stated, “The delinquency management teams will have a multifaceted impact, including tax justice, securing finances, creating jobs, managing delinquencies, and connecting to welfare services. The NTS will do its utmost to support the verification personnel so they can take pride in their work.”

In a video message during the nationwide tax office launch ceremony, he urged the delinquency management teams to take pride in their roles and to fulfill their responsibilities diligently, noting that the results they achieve will serve as foundational data for future delinquency management.

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